The Old Rectory

Details

THERFIELD CHURCH LANE TL 33 NW (South side) Therfield 4/103 The Old Rectory 9.6.52 (formerly listed as The Rectory) GV II* Large house. Late C15 wing, altered in C17. Original open hall replaced in C17 and again c.1769 for Rev. C. Weston. Extended c.1800 for Rev. C. Moss, altered 1875. Early wing is flint rubble, rendered, with clunch dressings. Main block is red brick with burnt headers. Tiled roofs, some slates. C15 range has form of a gabled cross wing, 2 originally separate and gabled blocks project from outer elevation, reformed into a rectangular block in C17. 2 storeys. Semi-circular former stair turret with a small square light to centre of front elevation of C15 wing. To right: ground floor 4 cinquefoiled lights, heavily moulded with a bowtell central mullion and square headed surround, label with grotesque stops, first floor similar 2 light window restored in C19 with a quatrefoil in a triangle in coped gable. To left of stair turret, ground floor window now a square headed entrance, similar surround, first floor 1 and 2 light tall chapel windows, now blocked, similar surrounds. At right end is a C17 3 stage diagonal brick buttress. Right return is C17 brick, ground floor C18 glazing bar sash, shallow reveal, gauged brick flat arched head, moulded plat band to first floor, 2 cinquefoiled lights as at front, restored in C19. Left return of C15 wing is largely rebuilt in C17 red brick. Gable towards front has a large 2 centred arched opening, blocked with an C18 glazing bar sash inserted. Straight joint to link to formerly separate block behind which projects slightly. Ground floor 3 light casement and horizontal sliding sash, first floor glazing bar sashes in reveals. To rear: main gabled range has original 4 light window on ground floor, as at front but 2 lights to left now an entrance. First floor later projection. Lower gable to right with a 1 storey wing extending to rear with an original foiled light and 2 small quatrefoil windows, probably reset, on inner elevation. C18 main range is set back to right. Double depth plan. 2 storeys and attics. 4 bay front. Entrance to right of centre: 6 raised panelled door, painted brick surround, rusticated pilasters with moulded caps, key blocked double round arch over fanlight, shallow pediment. Glazing bar sashes in reveals, gauged brick flat arched heads, stone sills. Projecting brick band to stone coped parapet. 4 two light box dormers in tall hipped double gambrel roof. 4 extruded end stacks with offsets, that to left front probably C17 at base. Parapets continue to link stacks on returns. To rear: 5 bays, ground floor French windows, first floor sashes, plat band to parapet, dormers. Attached to right end is 2 bay 1 storey c.1800 library addition. Sashes, coped parapet, hipped slate roof. Right end has an entrance and a stack and, to rear, a late C19 projecting bay with a tripartite sash. Interior: C15 wing ground floor large room with a round headed recess, originally a hearth, opposite a fireplace. 2 centred heads and moulded jambs to doors to main block and to other rooms. First floor large chamber has a depressed barrel vault. Small chapel with late C17 raised, fielded, bolection moulded panelling, classical cornice, vaulted ceiling. Early C19 staircase with moulded handrail and some C18 panelling in C18 block. Attached to rear of C15 wing a red brick wall about 2m high encloses former brewhouse yard with well. Similar wall extends from left front angle. (RCHM 1910: VCH 1912: Pevsner 1977: RCHM Typescript).

Listing NGR: TL3354536984

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

162426

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Doubleday, A, The Victoria History of the County of Hertford, (1912)
Pevsner, N, Cherry, B, The Buildings of England: Hertfordshire, (1977)

Other
Inventory of the Historical Monuments of Hertfordshire, (1910)

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.