Manchester House

Manchester House is a house, originally a single dwelling, later divided into two and now used as offices. It dates to the early 19th century, with a core dating back to the early 17th century. The façade is white brick with a parapet and raised stucco band. It has plaintiled roofs, with the central section being hipped. The building has two storeys, attics, and cellars.

The exterior features a 12-window front, arranged in a 4:4:4 pattern, the central section slightly projecting and taller than the sides. The first-floor windows are 12-pane sashes. The central four are in plain reveals; the northern four are in flush cased frames; and the southern four are blocked, all with flat-gauged arches. A stucco band runs at ground and first-floor sill level on the central block. The ground floor of the central block has two small-paned semicircular-arched windows, flanked by two semicircular-arched doorways with deep stuccoed reveals and six-panel doors. The ground floor of the south end has two 12-pane sash windows in flush cased frames, and two blank openings. Three segmental-headed dormers with 2-light casement windows are located on the north side, while one flat-headed 20th-century dormer is on the south.

The interior includes a brick-lined cellar with wine bins. The north end of the building incorporates two long bays of early 17th-century timber framing. On the ground floor, this reveals main beams with ovolo-moulding; on the first floor, there are several four-panel doors with bolection moulding, original H-L hinges, and one room with full bolection-moulded panelling and an early 18th-century fireplace with an enriched eared architrave. A rear wing is also essentially 17th-century, featuring a three-light small-paned sliding sash window in the gable apex. The central section of the house has later 18th-century features, including a large upper room that extends from front to back, with a rounded rear bay containing three long 12-pane sash windows and an Adam-style fireplace surround. Some sash windows have panelled internal shutters with applied mouldings. Early 19th-century features were subsequently added. The main geometrical staircase has stick balusters, panelled square newels, curved handrails, and a balustraded landing. The back stairs, partially straightened in the late 20th century, are similar in form. The house was occupied from around 1790 until 1831 by Sir Thomas Gery Cullum and his wife, Lady Mary Cullum.