Malling House

Malling House is a country house, now serving as the headquarters for the Sussex County Constabulary. The core structure dates to the mid-17th century with a later 17th-century addition, significantly altered and refaced around 1720-26, and further extended in the 20th century. The house is constructed of red and grey brick with orange dressings, featuring a moulded band and cornice to a panelled parapet. The roof is covered in Horsham slabs, with three flat-headed dormers and stacks situated to the extreme left and right of the ridge.

The symmetrical nine-bay front features glazing bar sash windows with gauged heads and dressed surrounds. The central doorway is painted and rusticated with keyed detailing, supported by superimposed Tuscan antae and an open segmental pediment. An eight-panel door completes the entrance. A date of 1726 is inscribed on a downpipe bracket to the right of the facade. A two-bay, early 20th-century extension, built in a similar style and set back to the right, is present. A lower wing of red brick and tile hanging with a hipped roof, dated 1958 on a downpipe, is further to the right. The south front mirrors the design of the main facade, with four bays and a central wider spacing, featuring ground-floor windows with opening doors below to create French windows.

The west front is partially obscured by 1960s and 1970s extensions of no particular architectural merit. The roof slope is steeper to the left than the right of the central section. The fenestration is irregular, incorporating glazing bar sash windows separated by fictive pilaster strips, revealing the distinct 17th-century construction stages on the exterior.

Inside, the hall features a black and white slab floor, a panelled dado with arched panels above, and a triglyph frieze supported by Doric columns flanking windows and panels. Elaborate moulded door surrounds have segmental pediments and pulvinated friezes. A projecting fireplace, positioned off-centre to the right, has a bolection-mould fire surround and a garlanded overmantel. The two-flight return staircase has an arched window at the half-landing with splayed panelled reveals, a ramped rail with a wreathed design, and fluted Composite columnar newel posts, mirrored by pilasters on the panelled dado. Balustrades consist of close and loose twist spiral balusters, three per tread, along with square knops, gadrooned details, corniced trade-ends, and carved wreathed cheek-pieces. The Chief Constable's Room and Deputy’s Room retain early 18th-century fielded panelling and fireplaces. A panelled segmental archway is located on the landing at the head of the main staircase. A square, open-well four-flight back staircase features a ramped rail, turned balusters, and carved cheek-pieces.