Olde Corte House (No. 67) and former barn (No. 69)

Olde Corte House (No. 67) and Former Barn (No. 69)

Olde Corte House is a three-storey building of largely 17th-century date with 16th-century origins. It is constructed of rendered rubble stone with steep dry-slate roofs and a large rubble lateral stack at the rear. The plan is single-depth running north to south, with a right-angle wing on the east side. An attached former 18th-century barn (No. 69) is built of rubble stone with a slate roof, positioned at the south end and running on the same line. Two single-storey outbuildings within the grounds of No. 69 and a 20th-century conservatory attached to the front of No. 67 are not included in this listing.

The entrance porch to Olde Corte House is off-centre. The first floor contains three 20th-century casement windows: a central 24-pane three-light bowed window and two 20-pane two-light casement windows on either side. The second floor has one central 12-pane window with thick glazing bars. The road-side elevation features a first-floor six-over-six sash. To the rear is a projecting two-storey gable-end wing with horned-sash windows. Beneath the gable is a date plaque reading 1904 and a 'B' topped by a crown representing the Earl of Bedford's estate. The south end contains a single-storey utility wing; the gable-end above is slate hung.

The two-storey former barn is built into a bank. The main west elevation has two ground-floor brick-arched doors and a window, plus a pair of full-height windows in a former rectangular opening. The first floor contains a large central opening topped by stone voussoirs. The west side, built into the bank, has a large central window on the first floor. The north and south ends contain further openings. All doors and windows were replaced in the early 21st century.

The interior of Olde Corte House features a central dog leg staircase with plain stick balustrades to the ground floor and decorated newel post and balustrades on the first floor. At the north end of the ground floor is the main room, including large chamfered ceiling beams with deep stop ends. These were originally carried at either end by large granite corbels; most of those in the western wall have been removed. A late 20th-century stone surround has been placed over the fireplace in the eastern wall. Above is a deep recessed cupboard topped by a chamfered granite arch, with a recessed window to the right. A modern conservatory is attached to the west side of this room. Within the rear wing is a 20th-century panelled room. The south end contains a modern kitchen and utility rooms. On the first floor at the north end is a room with dado panelling, arched alcoves flanking a tiled fireplace, and an early 18th-century panelled door. A further staircase leads to the third floor, which contains a number of early plank doors with strap hinges. The collar-truss roof retains 17th-century adzed principal trusses, as well as the remains of an earlier smoke-blackened truss with a curved-and-chamfered collar.

The interior of the former barn was wholly converted in the early 21st century to living accommodation on two levels. As part of this conversion, the principal 19th-century king-post trusses with metal fixings were retained and reused. All early 21st-century internal partitions, fixtures and fittings within No. 69 do not contribute to its special architectural or historic interest.