The Old Rectory and Southview, Fittleworth, West Sussex

Summary

A C17 rectory, with C19/C20 extensions and C21 alterations, that is now two separate houses. C20 extensions to south and east are excluded from the listing.

Description

A C17 rectory, with C19/C20 extensions and C21 alterations, that is now two separate houses. C20 extensions to south and east, as detailed below, are excluded.

MATERIALS: the C17 building is rendered over a timber frame under a clay tile roof. C19/20 extensions have rendered solid walls, and either slate or clay tiled roofs.

PLAN: the C17 building (The Old Rectory) now has a north-facing principal elevation, with a C20 porch and entrance. To the east it has a C20 rectangular extension which has a kitchen and dining room on the ground floor, and mezzanine floor above. The extensive C19 extension (Southview) is double pile in plan and wraps around the C17 rectory to the south and east. C20 extensions have added a kitchen to the south and family room to the east.

EXTERIOR:

The Old Rectory:

The principal northern elevation is formed of three irregular sections. The first is a rendered C17 timber frame formed as a steeply pitched gable end of two bays, with C20 timber casement windows. At the base of the wall there is a stone plinth which projects over the cellar below. To the east, the second section has two bays. It projects and is formed of painted brick in a flying bond. The first bay is fronted by a cottage-style C20 porch* which stands under a tiled lean-to roof and is not of special interest. The second bay has a C19 triple timber casement window with timber lintel to the first storey, and above, a C19 sash window with eight panes. The third section is a C20 extension* of two bays, it is plain in style and is not of special interest.

The rendered western elevation is vernacular in character and would have originally formed the principal elevation of the C17 lobby-entry house. It is of two storeys over four bays. The windows are either twin or triple timber casements with multi-paned lights, and lead cill covers. The central window on the first storey has lead lights, and there is a C19 glazed door of four panes, to the northern corner. A brick double stack internal chimney rises centrally from the ridgeline of the roof. The eastern elevation has a rendered gable end with a date stone of 1868, above a moulding which depicts a lion holding an anchor. On the first storey there is a pair of C20 horned sash windows, and a multi-paned C20 timber door. On the second storey, there are two C19 sash windows with eight panes.

Southview:

The principal southern elevation is of early C19 date. It is of two storeys, rendered, and made up of five bays underneath a low pitched hipped slate roof. From the eastern end, the first four bays are broadly symmetrical. The first two bays are formed by a C20 extension*, which is not of special interest. Each bay has a pair of C20 timber French windows with eight panes. On the C19 bays the doors have moulded bullnose stone thresholds, and the render is scored to imitate ashlar. On the second storey each bay has a C20 sash window with 12 panes including narrow margins. The fifth bay is a projecting C20 extension* and of no special interest.

The three internal chimney stacks are brick and located on the ridge line. All soffits and fascia are plain with modern guttering. The western elevation joins that of the Old Rectory and is later in style. It has a C20 half glazed timber door with small C20 sash window to the left. On the first storey, and above the entrance, there are a number of C20 sash windows. The eastern elevation is made up of two sections. The most southerly is a projecting C20 rendered extension* and of no special interest. The second section is of later C19 date and has a pitched roof above a gable end. It is faced in stone, and the window openings are surrounded by red and grey faced bricks. The first storey has two C19 sash windows with 12 panes. The second storey also has two C19 sash windows of 12 panes but they are later in style with wider spacing, bracketed by narrow margins. All window openings have stone cills below.

INTERIOR:

The Old Rectory:

Elements of the timber frame of the C17 building are exposed internally, including the underside of the first-floor, visible in the ground floor ceilings. The beams are black-painted and chamfered with run-out stops. To the north the frame has been opened up to create a larger room. Ceilings are low and plain, and the external walls are of a thickness commensurate with a timber frame. Fireplaces are C19 cast iron or stripped back to accommodate wood burners. There is an internal trap door to the north which opens onto steep stone steps leading in to a two chamber vaulted brick-lined cellar. One chamber has a blocked aperture to the west. The stairs have an internal timber casement window with lead lights which marks the eastern extent of the C17 building. On the second floor the frame is often visible in the form of wall plates, small framing, and tension braces. There is evidence of alteration to the frame to accommodate re-ordering of the house after the C19 extension, and the insertion of C20 bathrooms.

Southview:

The C19 extension has a formal entrance hall with high ceiling and an open well stair. The stair has a wreathed mahogany handrail, supported on stick balusters, two per tread. There is an initial curtail step, with the remainder being open string, the tread ends embellished with elaborate bracket mouldings. A deep wall string follows the risers on the supporting wall. The wall and skirting at the base of the stair display evidence of a former passageway. The study has been opened up to the south to form a kitchen, but retains a fireplace, dentil cornice to the ceiling, and built-in book case. The dining room has a high ceiling, with a deep, moulded architrave decorated with an egg and dart cornice. Window reveals have C19 timber shutters. The drawing room is of similar proportions and has a decorative Tudor rose style architrave. The fireplace here is C20, and there is also a C19 fitted timber corner cupboard with concave shell design above twin doors. On the first floor, the bedrooms are fairly plain but retain some C19 fireplaces and surrounds. Some of the window openings have C19 shutters, and in the south-western corner there are C19 chamfered beams.

* Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that these aforementioned features are not of special architectural or historic interest.

History

The Old Rectory probably dates from the C17, and possibly from the C16, from which time it is likely to have been associated with the nearby medieval St Mary's Church (National Heritage List for England reference 1238939, listed at Grade I). The Tithe Award Map for Fittleworth of 1839 records the building as a "Vicarage, house, garden and pleasure grounds", and the owner as "Reverend (Glebe) R. Tredcroft, occupier likewise".

The C17 building originally had a lobby-entry plan, with a principal door to the west. In the C19 a series of extensions took place, presumably to create a larger rectory suitable for a Victorian gentleman. The developments created a new southern elevation with a canted tile-hung bay window to the western end and two new gable ends to the east, one of which has a date stone of 1868. On the new western elevation, a stone porch was constructed to provide a formal entrance in to the enlarged rectory. A connecting door was inserted to provide internal access into the C17 building.

By the C20 the rectory was in the ownership of the Church of England until sold at auction in 1962. It was then progressively developed into an adult education centre. In 1976 a new two-storey wing was constructed to the west, and a classroom was also added to the east of the C17 section. In 2002 the site was sold for residential development and three separate dwellings were created. Two further extensions occurred in the C19 section to the east and south. The C17 building retained the name The Old Rectory, and the Victorian extension was further extended and became known as Southview. This separation necessitated the removal of the connecting door within the rectory, and the C19 porch. A new porch and main entrance was added to the north of The Old Rectory. At the same time connectivity with the western 1976 wing was severed, and this building became a separate dwelling known as Church End. Church End was removed from the List entry in 2016.

Reasons for Listing

The Old Rectory and Southview, a C17 building with C19/C20 extensions and C21 alterations, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* Architectural interest: a significant proportion of the original C17 building remains, including external walls, the internal timber frame, and some fenestration. The early C19 section also survives well as an example of a well-proportioned gentleman's vicarage;

* Interior: the plan-form in the C17 building and the C19 section is still legible as a lobby-entry and double-pile respectively;

* Group value: associated with the adjacent medieval St Mary's Church, which is listed at Grade I.

External Links

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