Rectory Farmhouse

Rectory Farmhouse is a house of early to mid 14th-century origin, with alterations and partial rebuilding in the 15th century, and further alterations in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is timber-framed, with plaster rendering, one gable end wall of brick, and steeply pitched tiled roofs with end stacks. The plan consists of a hall and crosswing, with a 19th-century porch in the angle.

The original open hall, dating to the early to mid 14th century, was originally of one storey and an attic. A tripartite sash window is present at ground floor level on the principal facade, and a two-storey porch provides the main entrance to the hall. The crosswing was rebuilt in the 15th century, and is of two storeys with a jettied first floor, featuring a sash window to each storey. A late 17th-century bakehouse is located at the rear, constructed of red brick and tiled.

The interior retains much of one bay and part of a second bay of the original open hall, with a floor inserted in the 17th or early 18th century. The roof is of hammer beam queen post construction, similar to examples illustrated by Cordingley. However, it lacks scissor braces and ashlar pieces. Modifications to the roof occurred during the 15th century when the base of the queen posts was cut down and a tie beam was inserted. This work also included replacing the original crown post of the display truss and removing angle struts and arch bracing. The roof remains remarkably intact, including original hollow-moulded arch braces to the hammer beams, which may be partially obscured by the tie beam and inserted floor. The raised collar is cambered and constructed of divided timber balks which have roll and ogee moulding on their soffits. The queen posts are of square cut timbers with jowled heads and engaged pilasters with moulded capitals; mortices for angle struts are visible on the rear faces. The side purlins are laid flat and are square in section, each with a stop splayed scarf, undersquinted butts, four face pegs and two nails. The roof is smoke blackened, including the vacant mortices resulting from the 15th-century alterations. A wide cross-passage is present at the low end of the hall, although the screen has been partly rebuilt in brick. Later doors provide access to the original opposing entries and service doorways within the 15th-century crosswing. One room within the crosswing has reset early 17th-century panelling. The roof is in four bays and of clasped side purlin construction with paired wind-bracing.