Higher Hareston

Higher Hareston is a former manor house with an adjoining chapel, dating from around the late 15th and early 16th centuries. It is an exceptionally complete example of a hall house. The building is constructed of stone rubble with granite dressings, and has a slate roof with gable ends. The original layout comprised a hall, solar, and service wing, with a later parlour wing extension and chapel.

The hall features a large four-light window with four-centred arch lights. Chimney stacks on the front left have set-off and moulded caps. A two-storied porch stands to the left of the stack, with moulded battlements and a cable mould string. It has a two-light window on the first floor and a moulded, four-centred arch doorway with carved spandrels and label. The cable mould string extends to the left over the gable of the service wing, which also has two-light windows and a side stack with a moulded cap and buttresses with set-offs. The solar, at the north end, has stacks over the gable ends, also with moulded caps, and extends to the back to form a parlour wing, creating an L-shaped plan. Another stack with a moulded cap stands over the side of the wing. A continuous roll-moulded, four-centred arch doorway is located on the south side of the parlour, and a small gabled stair tower is situated in the rear angle. At the back of the hall, a two-light window with central arch lights has a buttress with set-offs. The rear door of the screen's passage is framed by a four-centred arch with roll moulding.

The chapel, of circa 16th century origin and licensed in 1378 and 1399, is located on the north east side of the solar wing and has a moulded, four-centred arch doorway with label. The service end of the house originally included a kitchen wing and a linhay that enclosed the courtyard. These were destroyed by fire in 1750, but the outer walls of both survive, one featuring a granite doorway with roll moulding.

Internally, the front door arch of the screen's passage is four-centred and has continuous roll moulding. The screen has been largely rebuilt in the 20th century, but retains some original fabric and is jettied above with moulded bressumers supporting an upper screen. The hall's later floor has been removed, leaving it open to the roof, which has arch braces to the collar and carved wind braces. A moulded granite chimneypiece, with an ogee head, is present in the hall fireplace. Moulded doorways lead from the hall to the solar and stairs, with a similar door providing access to the buttery from the cross passage. A small stone squint, or window, provides a view from the solar to the hall. Heraldic achievement of the Wood and Fortescue family arms are displayed above the porch. The house may have been built by John Wood, who died in 1537.