Old Manor House

Details

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 15/09/2020



TL 3844; TL 34 SE
9/164
22.11.67

MELBOURN
HIGH STREET
No. 108 (Old Manor House)
(formerly listed as No 84)

GV
II

House. Mainly late C17 with minor early C18 extension at rear. Front remodelled early C20. Timber frame, rendered with simple geometric pattern pargetting except for the front wall which has early C20 roughcast render and sham framing. Tiled, hipped roof with paired modillion eaves cornice. Shafted red brick ridge stack between front and rear ranges. Some courses rebuilt. Side stack also shafted and of red brick. Two storeys and attic.

South east front has four cross-frame casements at first floor with C19-C20 glazing. Three C19 hung sashes at ground floor on either side of doorway. Original doorway of two bolection moulded panels. The wall to the north side of the house has geometrical pargetting and original cross frame casements with later glazing. At ground floor there are two late C17 or early C18 original ovolo mullion hung sashes of eighteen panes and an original doorway opposite the stack leading to a walled garden. In early C18 the rear wing of the late C17 house was extended. Timber frame with similar geometric pargetting continued on walled garden side. Tiled gabled roof and two storeys. There are two original iron casements with contemporary fastenings and stay bars. Including adjoining wall to pleasure garden. Late C17 red bricks with gabled coping.

Inside: plan of two rooms flanking hall with original kitchen wing at rear. Hall is paved with limestone flags diagonally set. The open-well staircase off the hall is of four flights. Closed-string with large, symmetrical, twisted balusters, square newels with carved drops and moulded rail. The two rooms flanking the hall are both panelled. One to the south has c.1704 bolection moulded sunk panelling in two heights, a moulded double cornice and boxed main beam. In c.1740 a niche was inserted at the side of the fireplace. Shaped shelving and a round arch with key block flanked by narrower pilasters with recessed panels. The mantel over the fireplace is original. The room to the north has raised and fielded panelling of c.1740. In two heights with bolection moulded dado, double cornice, and boxed main beam. There is a corner niche with shell hood, raised and moulded key block to round headed arch and shaped shelving. The fireplace surround is modern. A contemporary two panelled door leads to a lobby and an original doorway to the walled garden. There is an inglenook fireplace to the rear wing, formerly the kitchen, and a stop chamfered main beam. At first floor there are a number of original two panelled doors with contemporary H and L-hinges, and one room has bolection moulded panelling, moulded cornice and boxed main beam. The framing is mostly concealed but the main posts have plain, unjowled heads typical of late C17. The roof is of clasped side purlin construction. The house is cellared.

The house was probably built by the Hitch family, tenants of Lord Alington, the Lord of the combined Argentines and Trayles manors. Dame Mary Hatton, wife of Sir John Hatton (d.1740) is believed to have retired here.

Listing NGR: TL3800244194

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

52215

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Salzman, L F, The Victoria History of the County of Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely, (1982)
Campkin, N, Cambridgeshire Collection in Melbourn Village History, ()

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.