The Vicarage

The Vicarage in Lanercost incorporates the former Guest House of the Outer Court of Lanercost Priory. The building’s origins are in the early 13th century, with significant additions from the mid-16th century and alterations in the early 19th century. It is constructed from calciferous sandstone and red sandstone, the latter used for dressings. The tower's roof is gabled slate, concealed within a parapet, while a later extension has a red sandstone slate roof finished with coped gables. Calciferous ashlar forms the chimney stacks.

The main feature is a three-storey, single-bay tower to the left. The ground floor has a double cross-mullioned window; an original window above is blocked. Other windows are from the 19th century. A dogtooth decorated cornice runs along the top, surmounted by a battlemented parapet. A short wall to the left incorporates a blocked window, representing the remains of a 16th-century building that originally stood in front of the tower. A side wall showcases two blocked two-light stone-mullioned windows, with a similar window above. The rear wall has earlier stonework on the ground floor. A projecting chimney breast incorporates a 19th-century two-light window on the ground floor. A small window to the left is blocked internally but retains its original 16th-century iron grille. A tall first-floor window is positioned to the right, along with a small square blocked window above.

In the tower’s interior, a cupboard in the north-west angle may have served as the entrance to a newel staircase. A 16th-century moulded plaster frieze, featuring scallop shells and mermaids is present, mirroring the plasterwork found in the Priory scriptorium. The 16th-century extension to the right, spanning two storeys and six bays, has a 19th-century porch with a chamfered Tudor arch. A two-light chamfered mullioned window is above the porch, with a moulded cornice. Three original 16th-century three-light chamfered stone-mullioned windows on the upper floor have continuous hood moulds; all other mullioned windows are early 19th-century replacements in a matching style. A projecting upper-floor chimney breast is located to the right of the original windows. A single-storey 19th-century extension runs along the full length of the rear wall, and connects with a two-storey extension linking to the tower. The rear wall has an original central upper-floor five-light cross-mullioned window within a moulded architrave and hood mould, flanked by original two-light windows. The interior of the ground floor kitchen window is splayed with a segmental arch. Incorporated into the front wall is an inverted Roman inscribed stone reading LEG VI, and above it, a sculptured stone head thought to represent Edward II.