The Rectory

The Rectory

This rectory was built in 1529 for Sir John Barry, who served as Rector from 1524 to 1546. A wing to the rear left may date from the 17th century. The building underwent substantial alterations and additions in the 19th century, including an embattled parapet and clock tower added after 1828 for Reverend W.P. Wait, along with a two-storey addition to the north-east. Further alterations were carried out around 1876 for Reverend J. Ellershaw, with additional changes made in the later 19th and 20th centuries. The clock tower has since been removed.

The building is constructed of limestone and sandstone rubble with limestone dressings. The slate roof to the south block has raised coped verges, while the 19th-century addition has a double Roman tiled hipped roof. The rear wing is pantiled with brick gable stacks. The plan is roughly square, comprising a south range, a north-west wing at the left return, a lobby, and a north-east 19th-century addition arranged in an L-shape. The building stands two storeys high.

The front elevation is irregular, arranged across four bays. The first bay on the left has a 19th-century four-light window with four-centred arched heads at ground floor, a flat head and hood mould, four shields above, and a three-light window with hood mould. A small timber lintel remains at ground floor right, with inset carving above. The second bay has a similar three-light window at both ground and first floor, with three shields set between the windows and one to the right. The third bay has a two-light window with cusped heads and hood mould, formerly a doorway though probably not original, with coats of arms above and an inscription. The fourth bay retains an original two-light chamfered pointed arched window at ground floor with hood mould. Above this is a carved helmet flanked by angels, each holding a shield inscribed with the initials JB, with a shield to the left and a reset shield above. A later buttress stands to the left of this window. The roof was raised in the 19th century. A cornice and embattled parapet run across with large finials at each side.

The left return displays an external weathered stack, cut away to the left and formerly featuring an oven at its base. A first-floor 20th-century metal-framed window is set here. The two-storey wing to the left has a 19th-century two-light trefoil-headed window at both ground and first floor on the left side, a 20th-century metal-framed window at ground and first floor on the right, and a 20th-century door to the right.

The right return shows a gable end indicating the line of an earlier roof. A timber lintel remains at ground floor level. A first-floor central 19th-century window features mullion and transom divisions with ogee heads to the lights, shields in the spandrels and a hood mould; this may have had an earlier architrave when formerly positioned at ground floor, relocated in the 19th century. A finial surmounts the gable as on the front. A straight joint to the right marks the lobby behind with a curtain wall and coping. A reset pointed arched chamfered doorway with a 20th-century door stands here, with a small blocked ogee-headed window reset above.

Another straight joint to the right indicates the 19th-century addition (originally a dining room, later altered as a stable, then restored as a dining room with a loft above). This section has a three-light window at ground floor with trefoil heads, hood mould and mask stops, and a smaller three-light window above with stopped hood mould.

The rear of the 19th-century addition displays a blocked central segmental-headed stable door and a similar loading door above. A two-light trefoil-headed window appears at ground and first floor on the right, a 20th-century metal-framed window at ground floor left, and a brick stack rising from the eaves. A blocked door stands to the right, with a cellar entry and steps below. Upper pigeon entries with perches are visible. The gable end of the wing to the right has a blocked door with part of the lower timber lintel remaining, possibly marking a former cellar entry.

Interior

The south range has walls nearly one metre thick with deep splayed reveals to the windows. The interior was considerably altered in the 19th century. Two bays of roof structure are visible to the east, displaying principal rafters, two rows of purlins, and a cambered collar. One pair of straight cusped windbraces remains; formerly there were two tiers of windbraces. Much of the roof structure was replaced when the 19th-century clock tower was removed.

Heraldic Detail

The coats of arms displayed on the front include six of the St. Lo family, appearing alone or impaled with the arms of Fitzpane, Ancell, de la Rivere and Malet.