Details
ST COLUMB MAJOR BRIDGE HILL (west side), Bridge
SW 9063-9163
17/205 The Old Rectory (formerly listed
as The Old Rectory, Market Place)
16.4.86
GV II*
Rectory, built as bishop's palace; now hotel. 1851, by William White (1825-1900).
Few later alterations. Slatestone rubble with limestone dressings. Slate roofs with
lead rolls to ridges; gable ends with raised coped verges to the main gables. Axial
stacks in stone ashlar, all of different designs.
Plan: Asymmetrical plan rectory, built around an inner courtyard and surrounded by a
moat. The entrance is through a 2-storey porch, with one bay to left and 3 bays to
right, of which the two central bays are one room and the bay to end right is one
large room which runs along the right side. The main principal rooms are the
library, main hall and drawing room, all at first floor. The rear range contains
extensive service rooms, with a service stair to right; the main stair rises directly
infront of the entrance. C14 Gothic style.
Exterior: Asymmetrical front of 2 storeys with attic. Gabled porch with one bay to
left, 2 wide bays to right and a large gabled bay to end right. Axial stacks and a
stack at the left end of the front slope, all with ashlar shafts of different
designs. All eaves with wrought iron brackets. 2-storey gabled porch with raised
coped verges and cross finial; pointed arched doorway with deep mouldings, panelled
studded double doors with hood mould. 3-light wndow above with 4-centred arch and
hood mould. Polygonal tower to left with louvred windows and pyramidal roof. Bay to
left has 4-light window at ground and first floor, with cusped lights; 3-light window
with cusped lights and flat-roofed dormer above. The two bays to right have
weathered buttresses, ground floor 2-light chamfered window with paired cusped lights
and upper tracery, gable over each. The and bay to right has 2 lancets at ground
floor; 5-light window at first floor, with cusped lights, tracery, 4-centred arch and
hood mould. Quatrefoil above and breather. Stepped raised coped verges with cross
finial.
At the left side the gable end to right has corbelled oriel at first floor, supported
by a granite pillar; mullion and transom window with cusped lights and quatrefoil,
sidelights and gable over with raised coped verges. 2-light window at ground floor
to left. The middle bay has 3-light mullion and transom window with cusped lights
and 2 quatrefoils; this lights the kitchen. Louvred vent above with pyramidal roof.
The 2 bays to left have asymmetrical fenestration with cusped 2-light windows at
ground and first floor, small gabled dormer above; gable to end left with stack at
the inner side. The right side has 2-light window with hood mould at ground floor to
left, buttress and single cusped light. First floor has mullion and transom window
with cusped lights and upper trefoil. Attached to rear right is an outhouse of
single storey and loft, connected to the house by a buttress supporting a hood over
an archway. The outhouse has C20 casements and doors with 2 hipped dormers. At the
rear, asymmetrical fenestration at ground and first floor with cusped and plain
windows; 4 gabled dormers, with the outer dormers larger, casements with C20 glazing.
Set back to left is the end of the main range; narrow gable over 3 storeys, with
recessed arch with buttresses at ground floor, 3-light mullion and transom window at
first floor and mullion and transom window with cusped lights at second floor.
Interior: The entrance hall has tiled floor, and is through 2-storey height, with
arched-brace roof and chimneypiece in the rear right corner. Straight stair without
balustrade rising directly in front of the entrance hall through the full width of
the hall. At the foot of the stair, C20 double doors, in tall 2-centred arch with 3-
light window above with cusped lights. The room to right at ground floor is the
former dining room, now partitioned, with chamfered beams resting on stone corbels.
All windows have shutters with fleur de lys strap hinges, some with chamfered rere-
arches with central wooden pillar. To end right are two small rooms, the wine cellar
and beer cellar; the wine cellar is to front, with the 3-bay arcades with plain stone
piers and 2-centred arches; brick vaulted ceiling.
To the rear of the dining room is the first service stair; this has chamfered piers
forming the balustrade, with chamfered stone arches, the stair on an L-plan,
chamfered wooden handrail set on wrought iron struts, with some original stencilled
polychrome paintwork surviving. The second service stair backs on to the courtyard.
Rear service rooms are all intact. To the left of the entrance hall is the waiting
room; this has a wooden window seat to front, with one stone column with ring
mouldings. Stone chimneypiece to left end.
At first floor, there are varied doors of Gothic design, some with pointed arches and
chamfered panels, with fine ironwork with sprung catches and strap hinges. The
drawing room is along the right side to the front; this has arched-brace roof
supported on stone corbels, of four bays. Chamfered wainscot and dado rail. The
central room to front is a medieval style hall, with 2-bay roof with arched-braces,
collars and queen struts. Stone chimneypiece to rear and gallery with chamfered rail
at the left end. Chamfered wainscot and dado rail with fine Gothic doors. The room
to front left is the former library, with 2-bay roof with cranked arched-braces with
collars and queen struts, one row of chamfered purlins. The front window has a
central chamfered wooden pier and window seat; good ironwork to the windows.
Chamfered wainscot and dado rail.
The attic rooms also have good doors with ironwork. Some windows at first floor have
stained glass.
The Old Rectory retains most of the original internal features, and the rooms have
survived intact with very little alteration to the plan. This is a major building by
William White.
Listing NGR: SW9117063919
