The Old Rectory
The Old Rectory, Meesden Road, Anstey
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1308260
- Date first listed:
- 22-Feb-1967
- List Entry Name:
- The Old Rectory
- Statutory Address:
- The Old Rectory, Meesden Road, Anstey
Have you got a photo to share?
Join the Missing Pieces Project. We want you to share your photos and memories.
Location
Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places.
Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions .
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.
What is the National Heritage List for England?
The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.
The list includes:
 |
Buildings |
 |
Scheduled monuments |
 |
Parks and gardens |
 |
Battlefields |
 |
Shipwrecks |
Local Heritage Hub
Unlock and explore hidden histories, aerial photography, and listed buildings and places for every county, district, city and major town across England.
Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1308260
- Date first listed:
- 22-Feb-1967
- List Entry Name:
- The Old Rectory
- Statutory Address 1:
- The Old Rectory, Meesden Road, Anstey
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- The Old Rectory, Meesden Road, Anstey
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Hertfordshire
- District:
- East Hertfordshire (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Anstey
- National Grid Reference:
- TL 41239 32992
Details
This List entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 27/03/2018
TL 43 SW; 2/17
ANSTEY, MEESDEN ROAD (South side),
The Old Rectory
(Formerly listed as: Anstey House)
22.02.67
GV
II
Rectory, now a private house. Later C17 (possibly for Stone family or
Sir Roland Lytton of Knebworth who sold and bought the manor and
advowson in 1666 - VCH (1914) 13), renovated in Early C18, SW extension
and renovation by Rev Maplecroft rector 1784-1806, E part restored after
fire 1959-60. Timber frame roughcast and panelled pargetting. Hipped
steep old red tile roofs with bellcast. A 2-storeys, cellar and attics,
L-shaped house facing N on a moated site. An irregular 3-cells plan
adapted to give a wide through stair hall with cellar below, drawing
rooms on W and services and dining room in E part with single-storey E
extensions. Internal chimney in E part, and former rear lateral chimney
to W part altered to internal stack by SW extension. Irregular N front
with 4 upper windows, 3 lower windows and door off-centre to W. Cross
windows set flush with rectangular leaded glazing (LH Ground Floor window
has "Stally 1767" etched in it), RH 2 windows on each floor flush box
sashes with 6/6 panes. Lean-to on E end. C18 6-panel raised and fielded
door in moulded architrave, with pedimented wooden doorcase on Ionic
pilaster added c.1960 with 2 C18 French ornamental iron lamp brackets. W
front has 2 flush box sash windows on each floor with 6/6 panes above and
triple sashes below. There is a small round window between the upper
windows. Rear has projecting wing on LH with a single storey rectangular
bay window c.1960. 3 hipped dormers on roof of main range, 2 upper sash
windows with a round window between, and a glazed door in the angle. The
interior has a cut string stair with stick balusters, extended to attics
when service stair formerly adjoining to E was removed, after fire
c.1960. Entrance door has filleted ovolo panel moulding of early C18.
6-panel ovolo moulded doors and stopped architraves. Ovolo moulded
panelling in stair enclosure and lobbies on each floor next chimney in W
wing (dentilled cornice in upper lobby). NE chamber has cockspur fastener
to plate casement in leaded cross-window. 2-panel ovolo moulded door with
H-hinges in attic. Butt-purlin, collar-truss roof with squared oak
rafters. Associated with James Fleetwood, Chaplain to Charles II (rector
after restoration, then Bp of Worcester), and Robert Neville author of
the comedy 'The Poor Scholar' made rector 1671 by Sir Roland Lytton. (VCH
(1914)11).
Listing NGR: TL4123932992
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 160238
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Doubleday, AH, The Victoria History of the County of Hertford, (1914), 11
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 30-Jun-2026 at 15:13:03.
Download a full scale map (PDF)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.