The Old Cloisters

The Old Cloisters

The front of this building is a 2-storey asymmetrical composition of 6 windows to the lower storey and 5 to the upper storey, showing clear evidence of historic alteration. It is constructed of large blocks of red sandstone and coursed and snecked grey stone, under a slate roof with a moulded red sandstone eaves cornice. The entrance is positioned to the left of centre and consists of an ogee-arched wooden doorcase containing double panelled doors beneath a gothic fanlight with intersecting glazing bars, all set within an older doorway with a pointed arched head of stone voussoirs.

Pairs of large pointed-arched windows flank the entrance, each with substantial stone hoodmoulds. Those to the right are wider and contain small-pane sashes with intersecting glazing beneath the heads. The pair to the left comprise 3-light and 2-light wooden casements with stained glass roundels beneath the heads. Between each pair of windows stands a stone buttress; that to the left was later raised in brick. To the right is a doorway leading into the adjoining house, featuring a 4-centred arched head containing double panelled doors beneath a fanlight with curved glazing bars, also set within an older arch of stone voussoirs.

The upper storey features a tall 3-light oriel window to the left of centre with a flat roof and quarry glazing, positioned within a large pointed-arched opening with snecked stone beneath the arch. On each side of the oriel window are 2 pointed-arched windows of irregular size, containing wooden casements with quarry glazing beneath red sandstone hoodmoulds. The left-hand windows sit within older arches of stone voussoirs, with that to the far left being shallow and wide. The north gable is constructed of coursed blocks of grey stone.

Adjoining the right end is a 2-storey house of old red brick on a rubble stone plinth. The north end is built of coursed blocks of grey stone with a canted north-east angle. It has a slate roof and a red brick ridge stack offset to the right. The range, entered from the left, has two 3-light wooden casements with quarry glazing to the ground floor and a similar 4-light casement to the upper floor flanked by single lights. The curved north-east face contains a small 6-pane window with a segmental head of stone voussoirs and a 2-light casement above. The north end has double boarded garage doors with a 3-light window above.

The rear elevation, partly visible, is constructed of large blocks of grey stone. The upper storey includes 3 tall pointed-arched lights offset to the left containing wooden 2-light casements with black and white painted tympana. Towards the centre is a narrow single-storey flat-roofed service block, possibly of late 19th-century date, with a margin-glazed window. To the right is a 2-storey lean-to, the upper part of 20th-century date. Its ground floor, of early origin, has 2 tall gothic windows containing 4-pane sashes with intersecting glazing and stained glass roundels beneath the arches.

The interior contains a 5-bay vaulted undercroft. Inside the front entrance is a stair-hall with a ceiling of red sandstone vaulting. The diagonal ribs and tiercerons are filleted and spring from round columns. To the rear is a wooden staircase, staggered at mid-level. The lower flight is 18th century with columnar balusters, a moulded handrail and square newel posts carved with mermaid figures bearing acorn finials. Panelled doors to the left and right have Tudor-arched hoodmoulds. The room to the right has similar vaulting to the stair-hall, though plastered over. The front windows have panelled traceried shutters decorated with shields and flowers, possibly brought from the church. A panelled door to the rear leads to service areas.

The room to the left of the stair-hall, formerly the Drawing Room, has plastered vaulting in a different style from elsewhere, consisting of diagonal rib vaults on round piers. Ogee rere-arches to the doors and windows have end stops decorated with figures in relief. Two pointed archways lead to a west bay which has a wood-panelled ceiling with flower bosses. The pointed arched windows contain stained glass roundels, possibly 16th century and Flemish, and panelled traceried shutters.