Building record SEM 042 - Outbuildings at The Old Rectory

The former ancillary farm buildings which comprise of a granary, coach house, stabling, pigsty and service range for the house have a good spatial and functional relationship with the dwelling. All of the ancillary outbuildings are essentially contemporary with the 1834 rebuilding of the rectory and were constructed between 1834 and 1845. They are clear evidence that the house and its glebe land were a substantial holding. Furthermore, that the buildings were typical of the agricultural developments in the 18th and 19th century with a greater emphasis on mixed farming, primarily cattle and grain and more barn space required for produce. The former coach house is a polite construction, although the red brick stock shelters, main barn and stables are typically more utilitarian. These buildings illustrate the reliance on horsepower and improved animal husbandry. The layout of the ancillary buildings represents a loose evolved farmstead.

The stable building is a large rectangular barn with a projecting western hipped porch and storerooms to either side. Opposing double doors on the eastern and western elevations suggest that it was originally designed as a threshing barn with a central threshing floor and grain storage in the northern and southern bays. The building is constructed in double skin red brick with Flemish
bond to the exterior and English bond to the interior. Ventilation holes are present on all elevations which is further evidence of its former function as grain store. The Queen post roof is constructed in oak and clad with grey slate tiles. The extant floor is of concrete and no traces of the original flooring was visible.

The former coach house has loose boxes to the rear. It was constructed as a “polite” building to make a stylistic statement as opposed to the more utilitarian ancillary buildings. It is built in red brick laid in Flemish bond with three bays facing towards the house. It is of two storeys with a central pedimented bay which has a single ocular window. The open central bay was originally cobbled (an element of which survives) with timber framed flanking walls and brick infill. Original pegs for tack and saddles are present along both the east-northeast and west-south-west elevations with built in shelving and cupboards. The upper floor only occupies the eastern half of the building and comprises of a rectangular space illuminated by two small lead light windows on the eastern elevation. The roof structure is a simple A frame with a ridge board and a rafter tie clad in grey slate. The western half of building B comprises of a single storey loose box with its own external door on the western elevation with a fanlight transom arched window above.

The original service range for the house was arranged around a cobbled courtyard. The courtyard has service buildings arranged around three sides, all with dark grey pantile roofs and lath and plaster ceilings. A wooden meat safe is positioned against the south-south-western wall. A rear porch from the house provides direct access into the courtyard and to the utility room and larder. A storeroom lies adjacent to the larder which is accessed from both the courtyard and externally. Opposite the storeroom is the door to the generator room. It would appear that this was formally the wash house as a copper is located in the north-east corner next to a fireplace.

The last side of the courtyard is a range of ancillary structures which are identified on the 1973 survey (from west to east) as a stable, loose hay store, open fronted animal shelter, pigsty and two garages with a builder’s yard adjacent. The range is built as a series of lean-to structures against the red brick boundary wall (constructed in English bond) running parallel to the large hay barn and the stable forming a loose courtyard (S1).