Great Offley House

Great Offley House is a late medieval former open hall house that has been modified over the centuries. In the early 17th century, a floor and chimney were inserted into the hall, and a rear extension was added in the mid to late 17th century. The eastern range, built in the early to mid 18th century, features new brickwork, while the front was re-windowed and modernized in 1802, as indicated by the date on the rainwater heads.

The house is primarily timber framed, with the middle range and part of the western range encased in red brick. The eastern front is made of red brick with some blue brick, all tuck-pointed, and has steep old red tile roofs. It is a larger rectangular structure with two storeys, cellars, and attics, facing east and comprising three parallel ranges. The eastern front has three windows wide, each with flat gauged arches on both floors. There are three gabled dormers on the roofslope, each featuring two-light casement windows. The windows on both floors are triple-sash with small panes, except for a single sash window with 6/6 panes above the central entrance.

The entrance is marked by a pilastered doorcase with fluted consoles, an entablature, and a round-headed fanlight above half-glazed double doors set in panelled reveals. The eastern range includes internal gable chimneys and two rooms separated by the entrance and stair hall. The entrance at the rear leads to the middle range, aligned with the original cross-passage. This range consists of three structural bays, originally with a central hall bay and a service bay to the south that was open to the roof, while the northern parlour bay has two storeys. The roof features clasped purlins, smoke-blackened rafters, and long curved wind-braces, with the stair likely located in the northeast corner.

When the internal chimney was built, it blocked the cross-passage, and the hall was floored, transforming the layout into a lobby-entry house. The southern room became a parlour with a fireplace, while the northern room served as a service room. A low single-storey service wing was later added to the southwest. The 18th-century eastern range addition marked the first use of brick walling, and the newels to the attic stair have 'patera' finials, similar to those found at Wards Farmhouse in Lilley.