Ratclyffe

Ratclyffe is a small mansion built around 1830. The exterior walls are stuccoed, likely over stone rubble and brick, with brick stacks and plastered chimney shafts, topped by a slate roof. The main block faces east and features a double depth plan, with a central entrance hall and stair, flanked by a main front room and back room on either side. To the north, there are two parallel service ranges; the first is slightly set back from the main block and the second is set back from the front of the first, with the first range also extending behind the main block. Most rooms in the house are heated by axial stacks.

The building is two storeys tall. The main block has a symmetrical three-window front, with the center bay slightly projecting and containing the main entrance. This entrance features a large six-panel door framed by a reeded doorcase, topped with an overlight that has a geometric pattern of glazing bars and panelled reveals. A large flat-roofed Tuscan porch with stone steps, a moulded entablature, and pairs of columns supports the entrance. The windows on either side of the door are 20-pane (8/12) sashes, while the first-floor windows are 16-pane sashes. A stucco flat platband runs across the front at first-floor level, and deep eaves are supported by pairs of shaped brackets. The garden front on the south end has a four-window arrangement with 16-pane sashes. The service blocks feature a mix of 16 and 12-pane sashes, as well as 19th and 20th-century casements with glazing bars. The outer service block includes a timber bellcote on the ridge of the roof. Although the interior was not inspected during the survey, it is reported to contain a significant amount of original joinery and other details.