The Old Rectory

The Old Rectory is a former rectory built in 1859 by John Hicks, who was an apprentice to Thomas Hardy. This large Victorian Gothic building is constructed of stone rubble with freestone dressings and features a steeply pitched plain tile roof with gables. The plan is asymmetrical with gabled elevations, and the building has two storeys and attics, including large gabled dormers. The windows are arranged in groups of cusped lancets. On the south-west side, there is a two-storey stone bay with similar lancets. The entrance features a heavily moulded two-centred arch doorway, with an altered bay window above, which was formerly a large timber-framed gable, supported by massive stone corbels. The building has large stone chimney stacks with set-offs, including one on the north-east side that has octagonal shafts. Inside, there are small stone Gothic chimneypieces. A plan of the house is included in Thomas Hardy's annotated sketchbook, with the note "Hawkchurch Rectory (Rector delighted with its convenience)."