The Priory

The Priory is a house built around 1660 for George Payler. It is constructed of brick in English garden wall bond, with ashlar dressings and a plain tile roof. The building has a U-shaped plan, with the main entrance relocated from the center of the south facade to the west facade.

The south facade features two storeys, attics, and cellars, with seven bays distinguished by brick pilasters that have moulded ashlar bases and capitals, along with plain ashlar bands. The corners of the building are marked by ashlar quoins. The cellars have 6-pane fixed windows set in chamfered stone frames within a chamfered plinth. Access to the central glazed door, which has an architrave with a shell and fruit frieze and a scrolled pediment likely dating from the 20th century, is via five steps.

On the ground floor, there are replacement sash windows with glazing bars in flush architraves, stone sills, flat brick arches with ashlar keystones, and moulded brick hoods. An ashlar band runs just below the lintel level, interrupted by windows and pilasters. The first floor also features replacement sash windows with similar detailing. Mid-18th century lead rainwater heads are present, and pilasters support paired consoles that carry the overhanging eaves of the hipped roof. The attics have 4-pane sashes in hipped-roofed dormers, and there are corniced end and axial stacks.

The left-hand return front has a Doric porch that was likely moved from the center of the main front, as depicted in a painting from 1773 by Nathan Drake. Inside, the central reception room includes a fireplace with an eared surround and relief swags and baskets of fruit. There are six fielded-panelled internal doors with swags above the overdoors, early 18th century panelling, and a festooned closed string chimney-piece in the right reception room. The mid-17th century staircase features bulbous balusters and a swooping handrail, while the central first-floor room has a mid-18th century Rococo frieze.