Listed Building record MDR872 - The Old Manor House, Norbury Hollow, Norbury and Roston

[SK 1252 4236] The Old Manor House, Norbury, a Grade I building. (1) Formerly the principal seat of the Fitzherbert family. The house now a farmstead, represents part of a range between two courts of a large medieval manor house. The wing west of churchyard is of early 14th century origin, somewhat altered in the 16th century and later, and there is the remains of a building in the Inner Courtyard, perhaps the Hall. The present main house on the south seems to be largely 18th century. (2) The main portion of the Manor House has been recently restored (1966). See G.P. AO/66/19/1. (3) The condition of the building was considered to be good when visited in 1974. (4) A grade I listed medieval hall house with a later small country house attached. It was built in the early 14th century with 15th, 16th and 17th century additions and alterations; and late 17th century with a 19th century addition, restored 1964-9. The medieval hall house was built by the Fitzherbert family who lived there until the Elizabethan period, when persecution for their Catholic faith almost ruined them. The building of the late 17th century house is attributed to the Maskerys, their tenants. The building had been used as a farmhouse for many years before its restoration. It is built of sandstone ashlar and red brick, with brick and stone dressings. It has plain tile roofs; that to late 17th century house is hipped and with brick ridge stacks, whilst the medieval hall has moulded stone coped gables and a large stepped, external stone side wall stack to the east wall. The building is L-shaped on plan with an eight-bay late 17th century house to the south and two-bay hall house, linked by a 17th century bay, attached at right angles to the east. Both are two storeys; the late 17th century house with attics, and the hall house with a cellar. The medieval hall house is constructed principally of ashlar has a main façade to the west with moulded first floor stringcourse. The ground floor has central, early 14th century moulded four-centred arched doorcase with carved spandrels, flat returned hoodmould and small plaque above to centre in a moulded surround. To either side are 15th century ashlar buttresses and beyond to the north is a semi-circular headed doorcase with lozenge designs on the raised imposts and keystone. There is a plain hood over, and above are raised stone blocks with the date '158?' inscribed on them. Beyond the other buttress to the south is a four-light recessed timber mullion window, all mullions 20th century, and below are two small square stone windows to the cellar. Beyond again to the south is another 15th century buttress. Above are two early 14th century two-light pointed windows with trefoil headed lights, pierced spandrels and hoodmoulds over with carved head labels. Attached to the south is the 17th century brick bay with a first floor band and segment-headed single-light windows either side of a segment-headed door below, with a four-light timber mullion window above. Attached to the north of the hall running west is a medieval stone rubble wall with a 20th century dovecote to the west end and a medieval door to the centre. The late 17th century house to the south is constructed of red brick with a stone plinth, plain first floor band, quoins and moulded eaves cornices. The south façade has a flush stone doorcase with moulded fillet to the edge and 20th century panelled doors. To the west are four tall timber cross windows under segment heads. There are three similar windows to the east of the doorcase. Above are eight similar windows. All fenestration are 20th century leaded lights but incorporating 15th century stained glass roundels and coats of arms to the upper lights. Above in the roof are three hipped gabled dormers with casements. The interior of the hall house has re-used 15th century beams in the roof, a flush chamfered fireplace to the upper hall and a close studded timber partition to the lower room, which also has a 13th century segment-headed door to the south side. (5) Stone first floor hall range of former two-courtyard house. Early 14th century but with many alterations and additions in the 16th century. For 150 years it was the home of the Fitzherbert family. Brick wing dividing the two former courtyards mainly 17th century. (6)