Description

WILBURTON WEST END
TL 4774 (South Side)

22/51 The Rectory,
5.2.52 formerly listed as
Old Rectory

- II*

Rectory. Three principal building periods. C15, late C17, and early C18.
Alterations of later C19. Timber-frame, and later C17 red brick. The later
C19 red brick alterations have black mortar courses. Plain tiled hipped roof
to the late C17 family part, otherwise gabled roofs also plain tiled with some
cement tiles in the rear pitches. Inserted C17 red brick ridge stack to C15
range. The side stacks to west wall of the late C17 family part are now
internal. End stack to early C18 addition at the rear of the late C17 part.
C15 range at the north end now a staff wing to the house. Possibly originally
a guildhall or other building for public use having a first floor hall.
Timber-framed, partly exposed at first floor on the front, cased in late C19
red brick with black mortar courses on the back wall and underbuilt in similar
brick at ground floor on the front. Straight range plan of five bays having
cross-passage at low end of the hall. Two storeys with east side wall jettied
for its length. The jetty is carried on exposed bull nose joists of
substantial scantling. First floor has three late C19 leaded light casements
and three similar ground floor windows. The doorway is also late C19 but is
probably on the site of the original. In the late C17 the house was
remodelled when a family wing was added to the south. At that time the C15
building changed to service use. The late C17 house is also probably framed,
and was originally rendered (see watercolour in possession of B M Pell Esq).
The walls have been cased in red brick with some applied framing at first
floor. Two storeys and attic with side stacks to the west wall. Two gable
dormers, C19 on the front, replacing the original. Three first floor late C19
leaded light casements. Central doorway in porch flanked by bay windows also
added in the late C19. There is a gabled wing to the west side of this late
C17 part which links with the C15 building. It has late C19 red brick to the
gable end and to part of the side wall. It is contemporary with the late C17
part and the evidence for this is to be found in the roof. In the early C18 a
small addition was made to the west wall of the late C17 house. Red brick,
English bond, and plain tiled roof. End stack to the south gable. Two
storeys and attic. Other outbuildings have late C17-early C18 red brick.
Interior: C15 house formerly a first floor hall, open to the roof into which
the stack was inserted in C17. Little of the wall framing is visible,
however, except for two studs in the west wall in a ground floor room at the
north end. They are of substantial scantling. The ceiling frame at ground
floor is also not exposed except for the main beam in the centre room which
has a broad hollow moulding. Reset in part of the fireplace are parts of an
early C17 staircase or fireplace surround, having caryatid and Atlantes
figures in oak. The roof is in five bays including one roof truss probably
removed when the stack was inserted. Evidence at the north end suggests the
roof extended further. It is of crown-post type with unmoulded posts and
two-way bracing to the collar purlin except for the display truss, slightly
north of the inserted stack. It has a chamfered post with moulded capital and
base. The upper stage had four rising braces to the collar purlin and collar
and the lower stage has curved downward bracing to a cambered tie-beam. There
is no evidence of smoke blackening in the roof. The collar purlin has been
cut where the chimney stack was inserted. There is no visible indication in
the structure as to how the building was heated before the C17. This
suggests that it had some non domestic use, possibly a guildhall or other
public use. The C17 part of the house has been much remodelled in C19. There
are C16 or early C17 caryatids and Atlantes in relief carved in oak, possibly
from a staircase or fireplace surround or overmantel. The roof is late C17,
except over the rear gable roof which has been rebuilt in late C19 when the
red brick to west gable wall was repaired. This roof now incorporates the
material from the original roof. The hipped roof is similar in construction.
Despite the alterations the late C17 house has kept its near symmetrical plan
with an entrance hall with staircase, and flanking family and guest rooms.
There are c.1840 fireplaces, one of white marble. Downward bracing from the
crown-post occurs at the Blank Hostry, Ely and the barn, now the refectory, at
Kings School, Ely as well as in Essex. They are dated to C14. However this
post has bracing from a much lower point in the column and this indicates a
different and probably later date.

C Hewett: The Development of Carpentry (p.224)
J M Fletcher and P S Spokes: Origin and Development of Crown-post Roofs

Listing NGR: TL4797074898

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17543626

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)