The Old House

The Old House is a manor house dating back to the early 14th century, with significant alterations in the 16th, late 17th and early 18th centuries, and a restoration in 1875. It is constructed of roughcast stonework, with some brick and originally some timber framing, and has tiled roofs. The building is two storeys high and consists of two and a half bays, with a cross wing at the south-west end, which has been rebuilt as a double range wing. A gabled porch, dating to 1875, provides the main entrance and is set at an angle to the extended wing. More recent timber windows have ovolo moulded frames and diamond-pattern leaded glazing. The original eastern range has been extended further to the east, with a secondary entrance on the north side, resulting in numerous gables.

The interior retains an early medieval double-aisled open hall structure with a contemporary cross wing of two bays, built within a rectangular plan of stone walls. A half bay at the north-east end likely contained a cross passage, and services were possibly located in a now-absent structure beyond. The hall roof features a spire truss and a central truss with large arch braces springing from the outer walls to a cambered collar, set between square arcade plates. A crown post sits above, with steep straight braces to the upper collar and collar purlin, and there are trenches indicating a former louvre near the apex of the rafters. A wall post divides the wing from the hall. The roof over the hall shows signs of smoke blackening. A similar crown post truss is found in the centre of the wing. A 16th-century fireplace, built of stone with a four-centred arch and rounded arris, was inserted into the cross passage. A secondary stair is located to the side, while the main stair, in a late 17th and early 18th century extension, features turned balusters, a heavy handrail and swept newels. The main drawing room, situated in the north-west corner, formerly the wing, contains 17th-century oak panelling and cornices, with a ceiling divided by deep chamfered cross beams. A centre dining room, within the former hall, includes the aforementioned early 16th-century fireplace and an early 18th-century panelled dado. A room behind the stack is now used as a kitchen. A chamber above the dining room has a bolection moulded stone fireplace. Some 17th-century iron casement windows, with quadrant stays and turnbuckles, remain on the first floor. It is the only known aisled hall in the county.