Ewhurst Place

Ewhurst Place is likely late 16th or early 17th century, situated on an ancient moated site. It is an L-shaped timber-framed house of two storeys and attics, positioned at the north-west angle of a rectangular moated enclosure. The main range runs east to west, with brick foundations along the west and north walls, built alongside the moat. The roof is high-pitched, with short hips at both the east and west ends. The west wall displays exposed timber-framing and tile-hanging in the gable, while the south side has a ground floor faced in 18th-century brick and a first floor with exposed timber-framing.

The north wall features three wide chimneybreasts projecting from the wall face, likely dating back to the late 16th or early 17th century, with rebuilt stacks matching the original design and using old bricks. One of these is the remnant of a tower. Timber-framing is visible between the chimneybreasts on the east wall as well. Some of the timbers are of S form. The plaster filling is modern.

A two-storey wing, apparently contemporary with the main range, projects southward from the south side at the east end. The lower storey of this wing is faced with 18th-century brick, while the upper storey is hung with pointed tiles. It has a roof of the same pitch as the main range and a short hip at the south end, with Horsham slabs covering all roofs.

Internally, most windows are modern casements with leaded panes, although some older casements remain. On the first floor, there are two small, blocked windows with wood mullions, hollow chamfers, located high under the eaves, one on the west side of the wing and the other at the east end of the main range. Two mullioned windows are concealed behind panelling on the ground floor.

The interior retains considerable exposed timber-framing. The ground floor room at the west end contains fine early 17th-century panelling with double moulded and mitred panels, with a smaller panel set within a larger one, discovered after wallpaper was removed. A fireback in the chimney bears the date 1632 and the initials EIE. When the house was built, Ewhurst belonged to the Covert family.