Rectory Farmhouse

Rectory Farmhouse is a farmhouse dating from the late 16th to early 17th century, with some mid to late 17th-century features. It is constructed of limestone ashlar and rubble, topped with a concrete plain-tile roof, and is designed in an L-plan. The building has two storeys plus attics and features a symmetrical three-window front. This front has a chamfered plinth and a central doorway with a four-centre arch and recessed spandrels, situated below a two-light window. The outer bays contain four-light windows on both the ground and first floors. All windows are fitted with ovolo-moulded stone mullions, some of which have leaded lights, and the ground-floor openings feature labels. The roof includes a gabled roof dormer on the left side and stone gable stacks with projecting weatherings.

On the left gable wall, there are single-light moulded-stone windows, and the wall returns to a two-window rear wing, which has additional two- and three-light mullioned windows with labels. This wing is extended by a lower rubble range that includes a four-light leaded casement. The rear of the main ranges also has similar mullioned windows, along with a blocked doorway opposite the main entrance.

Inside, the farmhouse features timber-framed partitions with richly-moulded four-centre arched doorways that have recessed spandrels and elaborate chamfer stops. There are two Tudor-arched fireplaces with similar moulding and additional plainer stone fireplaces. The interior includes two winder stairs leading to the attics, a bolection-mould grained panelled room, and a large open fireplace in the 17th-century kitchen wing with a very wide chamfered bressumer. The butt-purlin roof is also notable. The main doorway shows signs of having been relocated and may have originally been in the return front, leading into a lobby aligned with the second winder stair. The current entrance hall was formerly a through passage. Above the doorway, there is a plaque commemorating the birth of John White (1575-1648), who was the chief founder of Massachusetts, New England.