Martyrs' Cross House

Martyrs' Cross House is a two-story house, originally dating from around 1700, and extended in 1748, with a modern addition constructed in 1978. It is an irregular L-plan, characterized by advanced gabled bays and Gothick detailing, including a circular stair-turret in the re-entrant angle. The construction is of coursed rubble with ashlar dressings, a continuous cill course, and a band course.

The northeast (principal) elevation features an advanced central gabled bay with a central doorway set within a round-arched timber frame. The door has a small rectangular glazed panel at the top centre. Above the doorway is a Gothick tripartite window, with a blind trefoil above the center light and smaller flanking windows that are blind. A stone cross sits on the apex of the gable. A circular two-story tower rises in the re-entrant angle, topped with a ball finial. To the left of the tower is the main house, characterized by projecting cills and dressed surrounds to the windows.

The northwest elevation has a ground-floor door to the right and a single window far to the left. An advanced central gable has a small horizontal window to the ground floor left and a Gothick tripartite window to the first floor centre, with the left light open and the middle and right lights blind.

The southwest (rear) elevation is a two-story section with windows to the upper and lower left, irregular fenestration to the middle, and a ground-floor door to the right. A small window is located above to the eaves. The southeast elevation features a blank wall section, a stack with three plain cans and a stone cope, and adjoins a single-story later extension.

Most windows are timber sash and case with 18 panes, although the stair turret windows have 10 panes. Replacement glazing is present to the rear and extension. The main house has a piended and half-piended grey slate roof, while the stair tower has a conical slate roof. The house features a tympanum gable and a gablehead stack with three plain cans and a stone cope.

The interior was not inspected in 2000. The house takes its name from the nearby Martyr's Monument. Originally built around 1700 and extended in 1748, it served as a dwelling, then as a Parish School from 1800 to 1859, during which time the gable cross was likely added. Around 1800, Gothick detailing was incorporated, including pediments and windows. From 1859, it was used as the Parish Schoolmaster's house. In the 1930s, the house was rented to the architect Sir Basil Spence, and his children were born here. Previously harled and painted, the exterior walls were restored to plain rubble around 1960. A modern extension was added in 1978.