The Old Manor House

The Old Manor House is a house on Salisbury Street in Fordingbridge that once served as a manorial court. It dates from the late 17th century, was altered in the early 18th century, and had its bay windows rebuilt following war damage in the mid-20th century.

The main elevation is constructed of brick in English bond with stone dressings, and retains an old plain tile roof. The front range comprises two storeys with an attic and three bays, with a taller wing to the rear right containing four bays.

The west (entrance) elevation features stone quoins and a moulded brick string at first floor level, interrupted by bay windows. The central entrance has a mid-20th century plank door in a moulded architrave with a flat timber hood on volute brackets and contemporary side lights. Above the door is an oculus window in a moulded architrave with keystones. The flanking two-storey rectangular bay windows were rebuilt in the mid-20th century using concrete instead of timber for the windows; they have concrete quoins, mullions and parapets, with five-light windows returning by one-light and plain mid-20th century casements. The gables have stone copings and large end stacks. Two-light gabled dormers with stone coping sit above the outer bays.

The right return elevation on Salisbury Street shows a wing that projects slightly, with a first floor band and coved eaves. A central projecting gabled chimney has a plinth, first-floor and eaves bands, stone kneelers, coping and an ogee-arched recess to the shaft. A mid-20th century door sits below a segmental brick arch to the right of this stack. To the left is a small low window with a narrow window above, breaking the band and featuring leaded glazing and a segmental brick arch. Adjacent to the stack is a blocked former doorway, now fitted with a four-pane sash and a two-pane sash above (formerly taller). The right gable has a moulded stone kneeler and a raised verge with ashlar coping and the base of a former finial. Late 20th century solar panels have been added to the roof on the right.

The interior retains various 18th century features, including panelling to the entrance hall, panelling and fireplaces in flanking rooms, and in the wing a large kitchen and an 18th century staircase with turned balusters and a moulded handrail that ascends to a large courtroom. The courtroom has panelling and large sash windows on the garden side.