Building record 2881/2/1 - Priest's House

The Priest's House at Easton-on-the-Hill is dated to the late 15th or early 16th century and is located on West Street at the northern end of the village. It is a small, two-storey building originally designed for pre-Reformation clergy, but later in the post-medieval period used as a school and general outbuilding. The building is constructed of coursed limestone and ironstone with a double pitch Collyweston slate roof with an ashlar chimney stack at the western end. The street frontage has a two window range of mullioned windows beneath the eaves. The doorway is situated in the west gable and retains a four-centred arch and chamfered jambs. A shallow stair turret projects to the left. The building was restored in 1867-8 and has been the property of The National Trust since 1966 and is in use as a village meeting room and museum. Also known as Chantry Priests House or The Old Rectory.

{1} Priest's house or Rectory now meeting room and museum. Early C16, restored 1867-68 by T.G. Jackson. Squared coursed limestone and ironstone with Collyweston slate roof. Rectangular, one-unit, plan. 2 storeys. Elevation abutting West Street, is a 2-window range at first floor. 3-light stone mullion window to right and similar single-light window to left; both have arch-head lights, hood moulds and square label stops. Truncated ashlar stack to right end. Gable to left has similar single-light wind w to first floor and 2-light window to ground floor; both have relieving arches over them. Right gable has blocked rectangular opening at first floor. Rear elevation has a 4-light window, with King mullion, at ground floor, all similar to windows on front elevation with relieving arch over. Doorway to right, with 4-centred arch-head and chamfered jambs, restored mid C19. Shallow stair turret, projects to left. 2 small single light windows with stone surround, one renewed C19. Ironstone gable ver turret has C19 gable parapets and kneelers. Interior: roll and hollow moulded ceiling beams and chamfered joists, now all reset at higher level. Remains of 2 C16 fireplaces. C19/C20 roof structure. Stone spiral stair. National Trust property.

{5} Undated photo, plus four photos taken from different angles dated Sept 1961;

{6} In 2015 tree-ring samples were taken from what may have been the tiebeams of trusses in the north and gables ends of the Priest's House. Analysis of these two samples indicates the possibility that both timbers were felled at some time between AD 1474 and 1499.

{8} The Priest's House was originally designed for pre-Reformation celibate clergy, becoming a Rectory for married clegy after the Reformation. A new Rectory was constructed next door in 1690. In 1672 a charity had been set up and some time after this it is believed that the Priest's House was used as a school under the management of the Parson. In 1765 it was used as a private school by the Reverend John Skyner. In 1867, the architect Sir Graham Jackson undertook significant restoration of both the Rectory and Priest's House. The main alterations to the Priest's House were the removal of an external stair and the opening of a pitching door in the east wall, so that the first floor could be converted to a hayloft. Cattle and pigs were housed in the Priest's House for almost a century. In 1963, the incumbent and the Peterborough Society prevented the demolition of the Priest's House and the National Trust took it over in 1966, opening it in 1967. The Collyweston slate roof was relaid to original style in 1985.

{9} TF 0093 0457: Near the present rectory at the north end of the village is an early 16th century building known as the Old
Rectory.

{10} [Former list description] Now known as 'The Chantry Priest's House'. "Probably circa 1420". At present used as a stable. Grade 1.

{11} Situated at TF 0096 0453 is the Priest's House, a National Trust property, in which a plaque states:-
"This building may have been erected by Thomas Stokke, parson from 1456 - 1495. It was extensively restored by Sir Thomas Graham Jackson in the mid 19th century. In 1966 it was vested in the NT by the Peterborough Society".

{12} The building is constructed of coursed limestone and ironstone with a double pitch Collyweston slate roof with an ashlar chimney stack at the western end. The street frontage has a two window range of mullioned windows beneath the eaves. The doorway is situated in the west gable and retains a four-centred arch and chamfered jambs. A shallow stair turret projects to the left.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 10/83 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G12 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN41470.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1984, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.61 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77384.

<4> 1820, Easton on the Hill Inclosure Map 15 (NRO Map 2895; BEO M399), (unchecked) (Map). SNN102482.

<5> Photographs of buildings in Easton On The Hill (Photographs). SNN111661.

<6> University of Nottingham Tree-Ring Dating Lab, 2015, Tree-Ring Analysis of Timbers from the Priest's House (Report). SNN113185.

<7> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 256-7 (Book). SNN111989.

<8> Potter, P, 1987, The National Trust Archaeological Survey of Priest's House, Easton on the Hill (Report). SNN113186.

<9> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p. 565-6 (Series). SNN100369.

<10> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, Min of Housing & LG List (1963) JPG 15.6.67 (Report). SNN112993.

<11> Baird, J, 1969, Field Investigators Comments, F1 JB 22-JAN-69 (Note). SNN111452.

<12> Historic England, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments- Building File (Oral Report). SNN71057.

<13> Historic England, Undated, Northamptonshire Inventory: Easton on the Hill (Archive). SNN113189.

<14> Historic England, Undated, PRIEST'S HOUSE, EASTON ON THE HILL (Archive). SNN113188.

Record last edited

Aug 25 2023 9:25AM