Details
TL 22 NE WALKERN HIGH STREET
(east side)
1/1 The Old Rectory
(at N end of village,
24.11.66 to W of church)
(formerly listed as
Walkern Old Rectory)
GV II*
Rectory, now a private house. Circa 1632 for rector Dr John
Gorsuch (1600-48), E front early C18, library wing c1781 for
Benjamin Heath, roof early C19, altered c1933 (rwp), sold c1937.
Red brick, colourwashed roughcast at front with stucco quoins,
and steep slated hipped roof. A square, 3-storeys and cellars,
early brick rectory, facing W, described in terrier of 1638 as
having: 'below, one parlour, a hall, a kitchen, a milk house,
a brew house, a store house, two cellars; above, in the first
and second storeys, nine chambers well boarded. Unusual plan-
form with thick E-W diaphram wall dividing ground plan into 2
equal rectangles. N part had a broad passage against the middle
wall and kitchen, lobby with secondary stair, and brewhouse etc
from E to W on its N side. Full width of S part occupied by
hall, main stair, and parlour from W to E. 2 external chimneys
on each side wall of house. Plan form and window central to
each half on 2nd floor points to original 2nd floor chambers
being partly in the roofspace of 2 parallel pitched roofs, with
windows in the E and W gables rising above the stepped brick
band still remaining on W. W front 4 windows wide 3-storeys
centre with plinth, plat-bond, brick corbelled bank at 2nd floor
level and overhanging eaves with paried brackets to soffit.
Lower red brick wings steep red tiled roofs and former library
of cl781 to right with large Venetian window at S end, and 2
storeys, 5 windows, kitchen and service range to left with bell
turret on roof. Recessed sash windows with 6/6 panes (3/3 panes
to 3 windows on 2nd floor). Wooden Doric C18 doorcase to 6-panel
fielded door and semi-circular fanlight with radial scalloped
pattern and wheat-husk trails. Open pediment on columns, with
paterae and flunting on soffits of cornices. E front to garden
refronted in C18 with 2 2-storeys canted bay windows, in sandy
red brick with black headers and pilaster at SE return. Sash
windows with 6/6 panes. C18 Venetian window to staircase in
middle of S wall. Early Cl7 closed-string secondary stair with
newels and table-leg turned balusters rises from ground floor
to attic. Fine early C18 closed-string main stair with turned
balusters, ramped handrail, panelled newels, and corresponding
panelled dado. 6-panel moulded doors with ovolo architraves.
Stair window, and reset window on N end, both have heavy ovolo-
moulded glazing bars. C18 fire surrounds with marble slips on
ground floor. An old red brick wall runs E from N end of service
wing, formerly enclosing a stable court. (Pevsner (1977) 373:
M Overman A Gorsuch Pedigree 1982 Walkern, priv, print).
Listing NGR: TL2917226729
