The Old Rectory

THE OLD RECTORY

Large house with origins in the late 15th century, significantly altered in the 17th century, refitted around 1769 for Reverend C. Weston, extended around 1800 for Reverend C. Moss, and altered in 1875.

The early 15th century wing is constructed of flint rubble, rendered, with clunch dressings. The main block is red brick with burnt headers. Roofs are tiled with some slate covering. The 15th century range takes the form of a gabled cross wing, with two originally separate and gabled blocks projecting from the outer elevation, reformed into a rectangular block during the 17th century. The wing stands two storeys high.

At the front of the 15th century wing is a semi-circular former stair turret with a small square light at its centre. To the right of this is a ground floor with four cinquefoiled lights, heavily moulded with a bowtell central mullion and square-headed surround, labelled with grotesque stops. The first floor has a similar two-light window, restored in the 19th century with a quatrefoil within a triangle in a coped gable. To the left of the stair turret, the ground floor window has become a square-headed entrance with a similar surround, while the first floor retains one and two-light tall chapel windows, now blocked, with similar surrounds. At the right end is a 17th century three-stage diagonal brick buttress. The right return is 17th century brick, with a ground floor 18th century glazing bar sash in a shallow reveal with gauged brick flat arched head, a moulded plat band to the first floor, and two cinquefoiled lights as at the front, restored in the 19th century. The left return of the 15th century wing is largely rebuilt in 17th century red brick, with a gable towards the front containing a large two-centred arched opening, now blocked with an 18th century glazing bar sash inserted. A straight joint links this to a formerly separate block behind, which projects slightly. The ground floor has a three-light casement and horizontal sliding sash, while the first floor has glazing bar sashes in reveals. To the rear, the main gabled range has an original four-light window on the ground floor as at the front, though two lights to the left have become an entrance. The first floor has a later projection. A lower gable to the right has a one-storey wing extending to the rear with an original foiled light and two small quatrefoil windows, probably reset, on the inner elevation.

The 18th century main range is set back to the right, with a double-depth plan, two storeys and attics, and a four-bay front. The entrance, to the right of centre, comprises a six-panelled raised door with a painted brick surround, rusticated pilasters with moulded caps, and a key-blocked double round arch over a fanlight with a shallow pediment. Glazing bar sashes are set in reveals with gauged brick flat arched heads and stone sills. A projecting brick band leads to a stone-coped parapet. Four two-light box dormers sit within a tall hipped double gambrel roof. Four extruded end stacks with offsets are present, the one to the left front probably 17th century at its base. Parapets continue to link the stacks on the returns. The rear elevation has five bays with ground floor French windows and first floor sashes, a plat band to the parapet, and dormers. Attached to the right end is a two-bay one-storey library addition dating from around 1800, with sashes, a coped parapet, and a hipped slate roof. The right end has an entrance, a stack, and to the rear, a late 19th century projecting bay with a tripartite sash.

Interior: The ground floor of the 15th century wing contains a large room with a round-headed recess, originally a hearth, opposite a fireplace. Two-centred heads and moulded jambs frame doors to the main block and to other rooms. The first floor has a large chamber with a depressed barrel vault. A small chapel features late 17th century raised, fielded, bolection-moulded panelling, a classical cornice, and a vaulted ceiling. An early 19th century staircase with a moulded handrail is accompanied by some 18th century panelling in the 18th century block. Attached to the rear of the 15th century wing is a red brick wall approximately two metres high, enclosing a former brewhouse yard with a well. A similar wall extends from the left front angle.