The Old House

The Old House is a 16th-century house located on Aldham Ford Street. Originally built in an H-plan, it has a jettied extension to the north, projecting from the east front. The building is characterised by exposed timber framing on both cross-wings and the northern extension. The roofs are ridged and gabled, covered with peg tiles, with the northern extension having a higher ridge than the adjacent cross-wing. A central chimney stack of red brick rises on the east side, pilastered and with a later flue added to its north face. A second chimney stack, also of red brick, is situated against the north end of the gable extension and bears the date 1751. The north cross-wing features a flat, ogee timber door, integrated as a single unit on the ground floor. A cross-entry doorway is placed to the north of the south cross-wing, featuring a deeply pointed, four-centred timber head. The hall walls are plastered and incorporate raised panels. The southern cross-wing exhibits a crenellated tie-beam, and the building’s construction is further detailed in a record held by the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (RCHM).