Old Newnham

Old Newnham is a former manor house dating from the 15th century, with substantial rebuilding in the early 16th century. It is constructed of granite ashlar and rubble, with ashlar dressings, and has slate roofs, both gabled and hipped. The original hall, initially open, has a screens passage that was moved from the west end to the east end. The solar is located in the long west range, which extends south-west to form an L-shaped plan and incorporates remnants of a gatehouse. A chapel likely stood in the considerably altered wing to the east of the hall, while the kitchen was situated to the north.

The main building is two storeys high and features three or four bays. A gabled two-storey porch is positioned to the right of the hall, featuring a moulded four-centred arch doorway with carved spandrels, and a three-light ovolo moulded stone mullion window above with a hood mould. The hall itself has a large recessed six-light window with ovolo mullions and transoms; three of the lower mullions have been removed. An oriel window is situated to the left (west) of the hall, with mutilated tracery. A remodelled projecting cross wing, with a hipped roof and sash windows, extends to the right (east). A long wing to the left (south-west) forms the L-shaped plan and incorporates descending levels southwards. This wing has two and three storeys and features large moulded stone mullion windows with four-centred or ogee-arched lights. Moulded four-centred arch doorways, with recessed spandrels, are found on both the ground and first floors. The south range, which is the remains of the gatehouse, displays a wide carriageway featuring a moulded four-centred arch with carved spandrels. There are other round, pointed and four-centred arch openings, along with buttresses with set-offs. A fine garderobe is corbelled out on the south gable end. The house boasts large ashlar chimneystacks, two over the west range, with crenellated, lantern-shaped tops and crocketed finials.

Inside, the hall has a later inserted floor but retains a collar-braced roof of three bays. The hall fireplace has a large moulded granite chimneypiece with an ogee head, and the upper end of the hall contains three 15th-century doorways. The original solar in the west range has a compartmented moulded ceiling with carved bosses at the intersections and a granite chimneypiece. The room below features moulded and carved ceiling beams. Four-centred arch doorways are present at both the top and bottom of the solar stairs. The house was formerly the seat of the Strode family before they moved to Newnham Park.