Old Manor

Old Manor is a house dating from the 17th century, with later alterations and additions. It is constructed of rubble and brick with rendered south side and stone dressings, beneath a slate roof with brick gable stacks. The building is arranged in a U-plan.

The west front rises to three storeys with three windows. The ground floor contains two 16-pane sashes with gauged brick flat heads in brick surrounds, and a French window to the right with timber lintel and brick surround. The first floor has three 2-light casements of 4 panes each, with timber lintels and brick aprons. The second floor has three gable windows similar to those on the first floor but with drip moulds. Three steep gables feature ball finials to the left and centre, each with an oval bull's eye in a moulded stone surround with brackets to the tops and sides and hood mould; the centre one is blocked. A central cupola with ball finial, slate hung and roofed, contains two windows to the front; the right window is blocked.

The south side has four windows and two gables. The ground floor contains three large 19th-century windows of 3 panes in plain reveals. The first floor has four 19th-century smaller sashes of 8 panes in the same reveal. The second floor has two sashes in the same reveal with hood mould. Both gables have blocked bull's eyes. A central stack rises from this elevation. A wing of two storeys and two windows to the right has two gables with ball finials. It contains three 19th-century French windows and a 20th-century door in the second bay from the left, two windows in the gables, and a 19th-century casement to the left; there was no window to the right at the time of visit in June 1984.

The north side of the main front has two windows: cross windows at ground and first floor with moulded mullion, transom and frame, and two 2-light windows at second floor, with ovolo mullion and surround to the left and chamfered mullion and surround to the right, both with drip mould.

The rear of the main front has a 16-pane sash with gauged brick flat head and surround at ground floor. The first floor has a cross window with timber lintel to the left and a blocked window to the right. The second floor has a cross window with drip mould to the right gable and a small window above in plain frame and drip mould; the left gable is partially obscured by the rear wing but has a similar small window in the gable. Both gables have ball finials.

The north inner front has irregular windows lighting the stair, all cross windows in moulded frame and drip mould except a 2-light window to the cellar. Two 2-light windows at the upper level are in the same setting. A cross window above the door has no drip mould. A small blocked window in the gable has drip mould and ball finial. A door to the left has a heavy moulded frame with fleur-de-lys stops, a 12-panelled door with strap hinges to the rear, and a hipped roof porch.

The north side of the two-storey wing has two 1x1 windows and four sashes in exposed boxes to the north with metal stanchions to the ground floor windows. The inner west side has a 3-light window with ovolo mullions and timber lintel. A lower single-storey wing extending to the east boundary wall has a 12-panelled door in a heavy moulded frame as at the main north entry.

The interior contains a staircase with closed string featuring chequered chip carving, crown and spike finials and fruit pendants, with flat balusters. This staircase was used as a model for the stair at Priestpool. The interior also features panelled doors, one with eared and moulded architrave with small pediment as part of the architrave, and panelled cheeks and soffits to doors. A 19th-century stone fireplace has a 4-centred arch with masks in spandrels and clustered jamb shafts. An 18th-century side cupboard has shaped shelves. Internal shutters are present. Beams are moulded and stopped, some boxed in.

Joseph Sturge, the Quaker, was born at Old Manor in 1793.