The Abbey

THE ABBEY

A rectory house, now used as a religious education centre, located in Sutton Courtenay. The building comprises a hall and solar range dating to around 1320, with a rear range probably from the 16th century and a south range probably from the early 17th century, followed by various later alterations. The structure features stone uncoursed rubble plinth with some brick, rendered finish (probably over stone uncoursed rubble), ashlar stone dressings, old plain-tile complex roof, and various brick stacks.

The house follows a double-ended hall house plan with later additions forming a courtyard to the rear. The garden front displays a 3-bay hall to the centre with 2-storey cross-wings. A 19th-century ribbed door leads to a 2-centred arched doorway to the right of the hall range. The hall range has 19th-century three-light stone mullion windows to left and centre. Three-light stone mullion windows with cusped lights appear on the ground floor of the cross-wings, while the first floor features 2-light stone mullion and transom windows with reticulated tracery heads. A battlemented parapet crowns the hall range, and 19th-century bargeboards finish the gable ends of the cross-wings.

The left return (north elevation) rises two storeys with an attic storey and comprises a 6-window range. A plank door at the centre has a re-cut stone surround with shallow segmental arch. Stone mullion and transom windows with cusped upper lights appear to the right of centre and to the right, with a 2-light stone mullion window between them also featuring cusped lights and a hood mould. A stone 2-light mullion and transom window with ogee-topped lights is located on the first floor to the right. Wood tracery casements finish the remaining fenestration, some in original openings with hood-moulds.

The rear (east) elevation shows stone coursed rubble to the ground floor left and right, with render (probably over timber-framing) to the ground floor centre and first floor. A 2-storey, 5-window central range features a double-height end to the left and a 2-storey cross-wing with attic to the right. A 2-centred archway at ground floor centre provides passage to the courtyard. Fenestration is irregular, comprising casements except for a lancet to the ground floor right of centre and a casement with arch-topped light to the first floor centre. The first floor of the central range is jettied.

The right return features roughcast (probably over stone rubble to left; probably over timber-framing to the service range centre and right). Casements provide irregular fenestration; those to the service range feature early 19th-century Tudor-style wood casements with cusped or 2-centred lights. The rear of the hall range, facing the courtyard, displays a 14th-century 2-centred stone doorway with hood mould to the left, fitted with a 19th-century glazed door, and 19th-century stone mullion windows. The courtyard face of the rear range shows a brick plinth, render at ground floor (probably over timber-framing), and large timber-framing with tension braces to the first floor centre, with close-studded timber-framing to the first floor left having roughcast infill.

The interior contains various 18th-century winder staircases, some with panelled dadoes. The hall, comprising two and a half bays, features a moulded jointed base-cruck roof with crown-posts above, 19th-century dado panelling, and a 19th-century fireplace. The ground floor of the north range has unmoulded cross-beams and joists, except for the room at the end of the hall, which has moulded cross-beams. The north range roof comprises three bays of crown-post roof with octagonal posts featuring damaged mouldings to the top; bases are not visible. A butt-purlin roof covers the eastern part of the north range. A 2-centred stone doorway at the head of the staircase on the first floor of the north range may be a former door to the solar. Most fireplace surrounds date from the 19th and 20th centuries and probably block original open fireplaces. A queen post roof covers the south range and rear range.

The building was probably built by William le Breton. The ceiling of the solar is attributed to Thomas Bekynton, rector of Sutton until 1443, who later became tutor to Henry VI and Bishop of Bath and Wells.