The Monks House

The Monks House is a house located on Church Lane in Brafield on the Green. It dates from the mid to late 15th century and has undergone alterations in the 17th and 19th centuries, with further renovations in 1966-67. The building is constructed of coursed limestone rubble and features a 20th-century plain-tile roof that replaced the original thatch, along with 20th-century stone end and ridge stacks.

This hall house has three and a half bays and was later divided horizontally, likely in the 17th century, to create a three-unit lobby-entry plan. It is two stories tall with a three-window range. A 20th-century plank door is positioned to the right of center and is framed by a 15th-century stone surround with chamfered jambs. The ground floor has three-light 20th-century diamond-leaded casement windows, while the first floor features similar two-light casements, all with wooden lintels. Kneelers from a former coped gable are visible on the right side, and there is a projection on the left end that has a stepped stone top and is hollow, possibly indicating a former garderobe shaft.

There are single-storey extensions to the right and at the rear on both sides. At the rear, the head of a two-light 15th-century window with cinquefoil-headed lights and cut spandrels has been reset at a lower level and reversed during the renovation, with a new stone mullion.

Inside, decorative wall paintings from the 16th century were discovered in the splays of a 15th-century window during the renovation, but they were not preserved. The interior features an open fireplace with a chamfered bressumer and chamfered spine beams. Two trusses from the original roof remain, with tie and arch-braced collar beams supporting the principals and a king post halved over the collar, leading to a square set ridge piece. The roof also includes stop-chamfered curved windbraces to single purlins and curved braces to the ridge piece.

The Monks House was divided into two cottages before the renovation and was formerly known as The Old School House. It may have originally been built as a priest's house.