The Old Rectory

The Old Rectory is a mid-18th century rectory, later adapted as a house, with alterations made in the 19th century. The building is constructed mainly of slate-stone, with a rendered north wall and a slate-hung south wall, and has a slate roof. It features brick or rendered stacks, a hipped roof with internal gutters, and a grand symmetrical central staircase-hall plan. The house has two storeys, an attic, and a basement that emerges at the back due to the slope of the ground.

The front elevation has five bays with 12-pane sash windows, each with face boxes and splayed voussoirs and a keystone at ground floor level. A central door is flanked by side-lights divided by slender fluted pilasters, with elongated octagonal tracery in the upper two-thirds of the lights and door. A plain string course sits above the voussoirs. The right return has an inserted glazed door. The garden front is arranged with a 2:1:2 window arrangement, also with 12-pane sash windows, including a mid-height stair window. To the left is a large, early 19th century, 12:12:12-pane sash oriel bow embracing two original window openings. Beneath the oriel, at basement level, are two 2-light glazing bar casements with security bars and a plank door. The left return has a single-storey wing that is not of particular architectural interest and contains an entrance door. Large brick stacks are located towards the rear. The roof slopes internally contain three small original dormer windows.

Inside, the room to the right of the entrance hall retains much original 18th century detail, including a doorcase with a pulvinated frieze and a cornice with an egg-and-dart enrichment. To the left is a library with a good early 19th century built-in bookcase featuring delicate pilaster divisions. The entrance and stair hall has panelled doors and an original dog-leg staircase with a cut string, three balusters per tread, fluted Doric newels, and a mahogany handrail, all painted. The staircase passes through bolted floors. The upper floor also has panelled doors, some with fielded panels. Panelled shutters are present throughout. The basement contains a large open fireplace with a bold lintel in voussoirs and a keystone, some cobbled flooring, and a broad straight flight of stone steps rising to the north end, although these are now floored over.