The Old House

The Old House is an early 17th-century dwelling with a mid-17th-century range, substantially altered in the late 19th century and with major additions from around the 1920s.

The earliest range, believed to date from the early 17th century, is built of local greensand rubblestone—Redhill takes its name from the reddish colour of this stone—with squared quoins. The mid- to late 17th-century northwest range uses Reigate rubblestone with red brick dressings. The external southwest stack to the southeast range is of stone with brick flues; the large external stack to the southeast is entirely brick. The central stack to the northwest range is also brick. The early 20th-century extension is red brick with some timber-framed sections and tile-hanging. All 20th-century stacks are brick. Roofs throughout are tiled. An 1892 description mentions diamond-paned windows; the timber mullioned windows with casements holding square leaded lights in the older sections are probably late 19th century, emulated in the early 20th-century work.

The southeast range, thought to be the earliest (early 17th century), is rectangular and set on a southwest/northeast axis. The northwest range, dating from the mid- to late 17th century, is built onto the more northerly face of the southeast range at its southwest end; until the 20th century the house formed an L-plan. Two early 20th-century extensions project southwards from the rear, one from the northwest end and another from the southwest end. A single-storey covered way links the western ends of these, creating a small courtyard. The principal entrance is now in the southwest extension, with a secondary entrance—probably once the main entrance—in the northeast elevation of the northwest range.

The walls of the early 17th-century southeast range show extensive rebuilding, with new stonework and alterations to openings. Parts of the walling at the northeast end appear undisturbed, featuring stone quoins and a brick platband. The northwest elevation, which abuts the northeast range, shows disturbance with traces of brickwork to the ground floor, including what appears to be a blocked opening at the junction with the northwest range; the infill includes some galletting to the stonework. Two windows in brick openings appear on the first floor. Early images show the northeast elevation had a central entrance with a mullioned and transomed window above and a small gable window; these were replaced by a three-storey bay window during the 1920s development phase. The bay has a stone plinth and rendered upper sections, with two large windows on the ground and first floors and a three-light window in the gable. Two large external stacks rise against the southeast elevation: the northern stack is red brick laid in Flemish bond with some burnt headers; the southern stack is stone with three divided brick flues linked by a moulded cap. Openings to this elevation have been altered: a small window lighting the stair sits within or above a larger blocked opening and has a 19th- or 20th-century brick arch, while a similar arch appears added to the ground-floor window to the south. A small opening at ground level provides access to the cellar stairs.

The later 17th-century northwest range has a symmetrical three-bay northeast frontage with a central gable and central square brick stack. The brick platband continues from the southeast range between ground and first floors, with a second projecting brick band across the gable at eaves level; brick quoins feature throughout. The central entrance has a brick surround with segmental-arched head. The later studded door has a glazed panel. Above at first-floor level is a window with brick surround and segmental-arched head, the brick keystone meeting the brick band above, holding a three-light timber casement. A small window appears in the gable. Either side of the central bay are three-light mullioned and transomed windows; the ground-floor window to the northwest has a segmental-arched head with keystone. On the first floor, the roof eaves meet the window tops. A later 20th-century single-storey extension built against the southeast part of this elevation forms a canopy over the front door; an additional window has been inserted at ground-floor level at the southeast end beyond the extension. The rear elevation is now partly obscured by early 20th-century extensions, but several early features visible in an early 19th-century drawing remain, including the platband and first-floor windows. Two southwest windows have been partially occluded—the first-floor one has an arched head, while the ground-floor window's arch has been removed. The large square window lighting the study replaces an earlier opening. The gabled northwest elevation has an additional brick band at eaves level with a mullioned and transomed window to each storey, the ground-floor window having a segmental-arched head; beside it to the south is a small inserted window.

The early 20th-century extensions show Arts and Crafts influence, reflecting the 17th-century origins while referencing 16th-century architecture. The present main entrance in the southern extension is approached through a timber-framed covered walkway with tiled roof, open sides and brick floor, entered through a Tudor arch. The front door is oak planks with moulded fillets, iron nails and wrought-iron strap hinges with fleur-de-lys ends. A single-storey section providing internal passage runs against the northwest elevation of this extension, continuing the walkway's line; the courtyard is closed by the walkway's return meeting the northern extension. Most of the southern extension is timber-framed with black-painted timbers and white rendered infill, with brick plinth extending up to first-floor windows at the south end. On the southeast elevation, a jettied porch supported on an open Tudor-arched structure with chamfered posts shelters a glazed door to the drawing room. The southwest elevation is dominated by a large external brick stack narrowing in stages to a square shaft with moulded cap. The northern extension is red brick with tile-hung section to the southeast facing the courtyard. The ground floor of the southwest elevation features a projecting garage; above is a horizontal six-light window. On the northwest elevation, the platband continues from the northeast range, and two ground-floor three-light windows have segmental-arched heads matching the earlier range; a single three-light flat-arched window appears on the first floor. A narrow brick stack rises from the northeast end of this extension.

The main room of the early 17th-century southeast range, now the dining room, contains both the large fireplace (to the northeast) and the stair (to the southeast). The inglenook fireplace has some interior rebuilding including two alcove seats, with an unchamfered oak bressumer. A transverse beam runs north of the stair but has no mortices for studs forming a partition that might be expected if the stair had always occupied this position, while the room's axial spine beam stops short of the transverse beam. Whether either beam is original is unclear; possibly the transverse beam belongs to the late 19th/early 20th-century restoration phase and the axial beam to the 1920s phase. The room is lined with small-square oak panelling in 17th-century style, installed around the 1920s, possibly incorporating some 17th-century panelling from the former Magistrates' Room. The early to mid-17th-century dog-leg stair has turned mirror balusters and plain vertical handrail with rounded top; newel posts have chamfered shafts and ogee finials. One finial on the landing is cut to fit against the southeast wall. The finial shape is repeated in outline, carved on the lower part of the second newel, forming a notional pendant. Later panelling fitted within the stair framework forms a ground-floor cupboard. The stair continues in the same form to the attic storey. The framing of the northwest wall enclosing the stair above first-floor level appears to be late 19th or early 20th century. In the southwest corner of the dining room, one door connects with the northwest range and another with the current sitting room within the original southeast range's footprint. The sitting room has 1920s fittings including multi-panelled doors, moulded cornice and carved timber chimneypiece in early 18th-century style. On the first floor are two doorways thought to be part of the late 19th-century restoration, the chamfered frames having scroll and bar stops possibly following stops found on beams in the northwest range; the northeast bedroom doorway holds a plank and batten door of similar date with wrought-iron strap hinges and timber latch. A doorway connecting with a room in the northwest range with similar door is thought to belong to the same phase. The southwest end of the original range has been divided to form bathrooms with a passage to the northwest. In the northwest wall toward the western end of the original range is a blocked window opening with angled reveals. The attic storey contains two rooms separated by a landing, with modern bathroom beyond the southwest room. Substantial elements of pegged roof structure are visible within the landing and northeast room area, with purlins and raking queen struts; their excellent condition suggests possible insertion or replacement during the late 19th-century restoration. By contrast, rafters visible within a northeast room cupboard show considerable age. The plank and batten doors in this area appear late 19th or early 20th century. The cellar is reached via a doorway beneath the stair and has stone walls with some brickwork, and brick to the recess supporting the large northeast stack. There is a shallow stone recess to the southwest and a coal chute.

The mid-17th-century northwest range has a room on each floor either side of a central stack. The stair may originally have been situated in front of the stack: a stair rising from ground to first floor was removed in the late 20th century, and a winder stair with 20th-century balustrade rises above this between first and attic storeys. If the main stair was once in this range, it probably rose within the current study area. On the ground floor to the northwest is the current kitchen with chamfered axial beam having scroll and bar stops, one northwest stop worn away. The southeast end of the beam lodges in the chimneybreast; the fireplace has been removed. The current study to the southeast has an axial beam with similar stops. Along the southeast end of this range is the passageway, now continuous with the passage in the 1920s extension, giving access to rooms in the southeast range. On the first floor are two bedrooms with passageway running against the southwest elevation; elements of framing are exposed in the northwest bedroom and passage. Each bedroom has a chamfered axial beam with scroll and bar stops. The multi-panelled bedroom doors are probably 1920s. In the attic a room has been made to the southeast while the northwest attic space remains unconverted. The queen-post roof structure with raking struts and purlins has been much modified with replacement timbers. Within the landing space, roof structure is partly obscured by partitioning. Doors to the two rooms are late 19th or early 20th century.

The interiors of the early 20th-century extensions to some extent reflect the historicist vernacular approach of the exteriors. The southwest drawing room has substantial lateral beams with exposed joists and a wide stone and brick lined fireplace with chamfered timber bressumer. Wide multi-panelled double doors connect with the sitting room. Upstairs, the principal bedroom has an exposed beam, tiled window cills and multi-panelled doors. These interiors are of lesser interest.