The Old Manse

The Old Manse is a house that was formerly the manse associated with the nearby Congregational Chapel. It dates from the late 16th century, with later additions from the 17th and mid-18th centuries. The building is timber-framed and rendered, featuring concrete plain tiles on the front roof slope of the central range and black-glazed pantiles on the rear slope and both cross-wings. It has two storeys and an attic, designed in a half-H form that developed in stages, with an additional wing behind the central range.

The house has a coved cornice at the center and plain bargeboards on the cross-wings. The windows are small-paned sash types in flush frames, and above the centrally placed entrance is a sliding sash window with small panes. The entrance features a six-panelled door, with the top four panels glazed and the bottom two flush, framed by a Gibbs surround with a triangular pediment above.

The left-hand wing is the oldest part of the house, consisting of four bays, one of which contains a chimney stack with two back-to-back hearths, both with open fireplaces and plain timber lintels. The main beams are chamfered and exposed, with curved stops and jewel detailing in the rear room. The central range, which is lower than the wings, has later 17th-century ceilings of poor quality with joists set on edge, along with some early 19th-century insertions, including a staircase.

At the rear, there is a two-bay wing of similar date featuring a gable end of red brick in random bond with some blue headers, which incorporates a plain chimney stack. The short right-hand wing may have been entirely added in 1755, as records indicate work undertaken by the local Congregational authorities at that time. This wing has a red brick rear gable in Flemish bond with a plain chimney stack, and the framing includes bisected studs, primary braces, and long jowls to the posts.

Inside, there is good mid-Georgian woodwork, including a six-panelled door to the parlour with an eared architrave, a fine fireplace with an eared architrave and a panel above, and a moulded cornice with dentils. In the upper room, there is a cast iron raised grate with a Greek key ornament. All the roofs are of butt purlin form.