Old Hall

Old Hall is a house with a complex history, dating from the 16th to 17th centuries and later altered in the 18th century, with 20th-century restoration work. It is constructed of coursed squared limestone rubble with ashlar dressings, and has pantiles and stone slates for roofing. The building comprises two distinct phases: a 17th-century, one-bay hall with a two-bay cross wing to the left of the entrance, and an 18th-century, two-bay block to the right of the entrance.

The 18th-century block has quoins on its right side and features a 20th-century glazed door within a chamfered surround with tie-stone jambs. There are 20th-century small-paned windows in original openings on the right side, with keyed lintels to the ground floor and the two first-floor windows. A large brick stack sits opposite the entrance. The hall and cross wing to the left share a common plinth and quoins. The hall retains four-light recessed chamfered mullion windows, although one of the mullions in one window has been replaced with a side-sliding sash, and one light has been blocked. The left-hand light of the cross wing’s window has been restored. Similar three-light windows are found on the first floor of both the hall and cross wing, with a two-light attic window on the cross wing. A continuous dripmould runs above the ground-floor windows, and a dripmould is above the first-floor window of the cross wing.

At the rear, the north gable wall of the cross wing is built of cobbles to ground-floor level and brick above. A corner post is exposed to the left side, and there is a small blocked opening in the gable. The rear outshut of the hall and right-hand block is obscured by 20th-century additions and alterations. The left return includes recessed chamfered mullion windows of three and five lights to the ground floor (restored) and three and three lights above.

The interior features an entrance that opens onto the side of a large fireplace in the room to the right. The room to the left has a pyramid-stopped spine beam, and a similar beam is found in the south room of the cross wing. Between the hall and cross wing, a wall plate is supported by two timber posts; the framing is enclosed by panelling with a carved frieze of blind arcading on the parlour side, which extends onto the inner door. A chimney stack and newel stair are within the wing, dividing the parlour from the present kitchen. Initially, the house likely comprised a hall and two cross wings, possibly fully timber-framed. The timber framing was encased or replaced with stone to the west of a cross passage in the 17th century, coinciding with the construction of a large brick chimney stack in the cross passage position. The right wing was demolished and rebuilt with an 18th-century facade, potentially when the house was divided into cottages.