The Old Rectory

The Old Rectory, dated 1846 and built for the Reverend E Bailey, is now a house. Early 20th century alterations and additions have also been made. The building is constructed of red brick in a Flemish bond pattern. The entrance and garden elevations feature glazed black brick headers arranged in a chequered pattern on the ground floor and a diaper pattern above. It has a plain tile roof and brick stacks. The layout is two storeys, comprising a 3x3 bay arrangement with a two-span roof, and the gables face the garden. A plinth is present. The windows are wooden casements with horizontal glazing bars and pointed-arched glazing bars in the upper sections. The first floor has three windows, of 3, 2, and 3 lights, set within chamfered surrounds and stucco hoodmoulds. The ground floor windows are in the original window positions but have been altered to include later canted bay windows with banded fish-scale tile roofs. A two-panel porch projects across the original entrance, and contains a four-panel door, the upper two panels being arched. The original door, inside the porch, is half-glazed with glazing bars. Moulded brick kneelers and roll-moulded ashlar coping define the roof verges. The chimneys feature clustered octagonal shafts with cornices in the roof valley. The garden elevation displays a foundation stone and the date and initials set in header bricks on the first floor. The rear elevation has a central stair window with a 24-pane sash flanked by 12-pane sashes on the left and blind windows on the right, all with cambered brick arches. An added toilet block is also present. On the right return side are lean-to additions with board doors, with a two-light window with overlapped glass and iron casement on the left. The interior features panelled doors, a moulded cornice in the entrance hall, and plainer cornices elsewhere. Original stone fireplaces are present, with plain surrounds featuring roundels in the spandrels, iron grates, and one with a decorative tiled surround and dentil-corniced fireplace. The open-string dog-leg staircase has stick balusters and a moulded handrail with a spiral curtail. A conservatory was added in 1994. Designed by Eric Throssell, FRIBA, in a Gothic style, it features a brick base of red brick with dark headers, a timber superstructure, and a glazed aluminium roof. It incorporates embattled parapets with tall crocketted finials at the corners, rising from grouped shafts, quatrefoil gable lights, a tall octagonal lantern with glazed panels and crocketted finials, and windows with slender glazing bars under shaped heads between panelled shafts. Internal columns have carved ewes’ heads. The conservatory combines contemporary and traditional building methods to complement the main house.