The Old Rectory

The Old Rectory is a house with a complex history, dating back to the 16th century, and significantly altered in the early 19th century. Originally a rectory, it now stands on the north side of Town Street in Brandsby-cum-Stearsby. The structure is based on an original T-shaped plan, with a substantial addition built in 1809 for Reverend William Smith.

The older section of the building is constructed from rubble sandstone with ashlar dressings and a red and blue pantile roof. The 1809 addition is of ashlar sandstone with a Westmorland slate roof. The original range is two stories high, originally featuring six bays, with a later rear outshut added. The addition, positioned at the east end, faces east and comprises two stories and five bays, arranged in a 2:1:2 configuration. The older part has mullion windows with double-chamfered surrounds, flat heads, four-centred arched lights, uncusped lights and sunken spandrels. An added bay on the left side has a ground-floor casement window and a rendered stack. The ground-floor windows are generally of three lights, with the third window likely replacing the original doorway, and the fifth a single-light window. First-floor windows are primarily of two lights. An 19th-century ashlar stack is located on the left end, and a large brick stack sits behind the third first-floor window. The right return of the 1809 range features a plinth, first-floor band, moulded cornice, and parapet. It has a tall ground-floor sash window with glazing bars and a first-floor 16-pane sash window. The main front of the 1809 range has a symmetrical arrangement with a central door of six fielded panels, the top two glazed, set within a timber Tuscan portico featuring half columns and a pediment. The sashes on this facade have glazing bars and crown glass, with keyed cantilevered lintels and projecting sills. The roof is hipped, and end stacks are present.

The rear of the older section has a board door and two renewed windows on the ground floor, with two dormer windows above, featuring cat-slide roofs. The rear of the 1809 range is largely obscured by later kitchen extensions, but a round-arched landing window is visible within a gabled stair turret, which also contains a bell.

Internally, the older range retains an original first-floor beam, indicating a raised floor level. The roof has curved tie-beams and has been extended to the rear, covering the outshut. Two ground-floor timber, two-light mullion windows with stanchions are located between the main range and the outshut. A reused six-panel door, crafted from 17th-century battened panelling, is found in the outshut. The 1809 range includes doors of six reeded panels with matching shutters, decorative cornices, and a turned-baluster open-well staircase with a wreathed handrail.