Barnsley House

Barnsley House is a large detached house dating to the late 17th century, with significant alterations in the early 19th century. It was begun by Brereton Bourchier and extended around 1820/30 by the Musgrave family. The house is constructed of coursed rubble stone, partly dressed, with alternating flush quoins, and has a stone slate roof with coped verges and ashlar stacks with moulded cornices. A prominent external stack is located on the south-west, while the lateral stack on the south-east wing has a dentil cornice.

The house is arranged as a double range with a cross range to the north, extending to two storeys and an attic. The south-west front was refaced and heightened around 1820/30, and features three gabled attics with two-light stone mullions, square hoodmoulds, and coped verges with finials. It has a three-bay/two-bay/three-bay arrangement of stone mullion and transom windows, with two three-light windows on the ground floor. A projecting central castellated porch, with a four-centred stone archway and original studded double doors, is also present. A north-facing cross range is in a similar style, displaying the Musgrave coat of arms in the gable.

The south-east front mirrors the front with cross-gabled attic dormers, five two-light mullion and transom windows to the first floor (with a continuous dripmould), and four to the ground floor. A ventral door, also with studded vertical battens and a moulded pointed-arch surround, is positioned beneath a datestone inscribed with “1697” and the initials “B.B”. The north cross wing bears the Verey coat of arms at its apex, replacing the earlier Musgrave arms in 1958, and features a four-light mullion and transom window with a square hoodmould on the first floor, and a canted bay with a castellated parapet on the ground floor. A single-storey castellated verandah, likely dating to around 1820/30, is situated on the south side of this wing, incorporating four four-centred archways and an ogee light above. Additional mid-19th century service wings extend from the north end of the house.

The interior retains a fine mid to late 17th century twisted baluster oak dog-leg staircase, which may have originated from an earlier house, notable for its continuous twisted newel post between the first floor and attic ceiling. The south-east wing contains mid-19th century panelling, and several inserted 18th century fireplaces, including one early 17th century example.