The Old Rectory

HEDGERLEY

411/4/753 VILLAGE LANE 05-JUN-90 (East side) THE OLD RECTORY

II Rectory, now house. Dated 1846, for Rev E Bailey; early C20 alterations and additions. Red brick in Flemish bond, the entrance and garden elevations having glazed black headers set in chequer pattern on ground floor and diaper pattern above. Plain tile roof. Brick stacks. 2 storeys, 3 x 3 with 2-span roof, the gables on garden elevation. Plinth. Entrance and garden elevations have wooden casement windows with horizontal glazing bars and pointed-arched glazing bars in heads of lights; each has 3 lst-floor windows, of 3, 2 and 3 lights, in chamfered surrounds with stucco hoodmoulds, and 2 ground-floor windows, in positions of original windows, but now having later canted bay windows under banded fish-scale tile roofs; the right-hand window of entrance elevation is in early C20 projection which continue across original entrance, providing porch with door of 4 panels, the top 2 panels having arched heads; inside porch, the original door is half-glazed with glazing bars. Moulded brick kneelers and roll-moulded ashlar coping to verges. Chimneys with clustered octagonal shafts and cornices in roof valley. The garden elevation has foundation stone, and date and initials in header bricks on 1st floor. Rear: central stair window with 24-pane sash flanked by 12-pane sashes on left and blind windows on right, all with cambered brick arches; added toilet block. Right return; lean-tos with board doors and that on left having 2-light window with overlapped glass and iron casement. Interior: panelled doors; moulded entrance-hall cornice, other cornices plainer; original stone fireplaces, plain with roundels in spandrels, iron grates, and one with decorative tiled surround, dentil-corniced fireplace surround to rear right bedroom. Open-string dog-leg stair with stick balusters and moulded handrail with spiral curtail. Similar in style to the Old Schoolhouse (qv) which is dated 1844.

Additional information. Conservatory, 1994, by Eric Throssell, FRIBA. In Gothic manner. Brick base, in red brick with dark headers, with timber superstructure and glazed aluminium roof. Embattled parapets, with tall crocketted finials at the angles rising from grouped shafts. Quatrefoil gable lights. Tall octagonal lantern with glazed panels and crocketted finials. Windows with slender glazing bars under shaped heads between panelled shafts. Internal columns have carved ewes¿ heads. The conservatory mixes contemporary and traditional methods to complement the house.