The Priory

The Priory is a large house, largely dating from 1588, with substantial alterations in the late 17th century for the Maydwell family, and further modifications in later centuries. It is constructed of ashlar and coursed limestone rubble with a Collyweston stone slate roof, coped gables, moulded stone ridge and end stacks, and a brick lateral stack. The house is two storeys and has an attic, arranged in a half-H plan.

The garden front has nine windows, with five windows to the main block and two to the gable end of each wing. It features 6/6 sash windows linked by flush bands at window head level and with flush keystones to the ground floor. Windows in the south wing, and the central ground floor window of the main block are blind. A second window from the left of the main block was originally a door. Five hipped, 2-light, small-paned, iron-framed, gudgeon-hung casement dormers are located on the main block. The gables of the wings are of ashlar, and the south wing has ironstone quoins.

The entrance front has a projecting south wing, dated 1588, featuring a 3-light ovolo-moulded stone-mullioned window in the gable, and similar blocked windows to the ground and first floors of both the gable end and right flank. A 19th-century French window and a large 6/6 sash window are present on the left flank. The main block was originally presumably five windows wide, but a central first-floor window has been skillfully removed. A central, pedimented porch with double, 2-panelled doors masks a roll-moulded stone architrave, a pulvinated frieze, and a cornice. A raised band and a flush window-head band with flush keystones are also present. Windows are small-paned, gudgeon-hung cross-casements. A blocked ground floor window is located on the left-hand side. A small, 19th-century ashlar addition with a hipped roof and sash windows conceals the right-hand bay. A lower, gabled addition in front of the north wing has sash windows with gauged stone heads.

The interior of the south wing was altered in the 19th century to create a single storey but retains the original 2-bay roof, featuring closed collar and tie beam trusses and two tiers of butt purlins. Plaster in the roof space contains 19th-century graffiti. The interior of the main block has also been considerably altered in the 19th century, but the hall retains a bolection-moulded stone chimney piece. Some panelled doors are present.