NHER 44714 (Building record) - Former Old Rectory, now part of Research Station, Morley

Former rectory, within deserted village HER41947 and adjacent to former moated site NHER 20722 surrounding present rectory – which may suggest the rectory has moved back to its ancient site.
Large red brick building of unusual form. Entrance front (south of three bays two storeys, central door in crude raised surround, windows with Tudoresque dripmoulds; hipped roof with stack towards west end. Garden front to east of five bays but the central three are on a half-polygonal full height projection; the centre ground floor of these, and the ground floor openings each side of the projection, are French doors. Hipped roof with two stacks framing g the projection, and the stacks of the side elevations also forming a distant frame. North side plain with irregular fenestration. At northwest a long wing projects in similar style, and is shown on (S2) and so is probably original; this destroys the symmetry when seen from anywjere apart from the east.. It is obvious the east elevation was designed as the main front, and the south as the lesser entrance front, little care being taken with the other walls. Exterior only seen briefly. Interior not seen but (S1) shows a winding stick baluster stair behind a large room in the projecting east bay and approached from the south door.
Overall impression is of a local architect attempting to imitate London styles around 1780-1800 and giving up halfway through.
To northwest a stable block of five bays, centre bay alone of two storeys with gable; this bay with doors and lunette above; to each side a door and then a lunette. Just centre is gabled north-south and sides are hipped to ends. Rear stack with corner fireplace to central section; presumably carriage house with groom’s room above, and stable to each side. Diamond plaque now illegible from ground.
E. Rose (NLA), 1 July 2006.

December 2008.
Proposal to convert existing agricultural barn, convert existing offices into four residential units and to erect new garages.
See (S3) for further information
H. White (NLA), 28 January 2009