Marybrook House

Detached three-bay three-storey house, east end being tower house built c.1550, rest having been added c.1760, including single-bay three-storey block to northwest. Pitched slate roofs with cut limestone eaves course and rendered brick chimneystacks. Roughcast rendered rubble limestone walls, with limestone corbels to southeast corner being remains of medieval machicolation. Camber-headed window openings throughout, some with brick voussoirs visible, top floor having three-over-three pane timber sliding sash windows, first floor having one-over-one pane to front elevation of main block and six-over-six pane elsewhere, and ground floor having four-over-four pane to east gable, double one-over-one pane to east elevation of northwest block, nine-over-nine pane to first floor and six-over-six pane to west elevation of same, with render sills. Round-headed opening to west elevation of main block, having fixed window. Square-headed entrance doorway to north elevation of main block, with carved moulded limestone surround and cut limestone plinth, with spoked timber fanlight over half-glazed timber panelled door. Cast-iron boot scrape to entrance. Square-headed door opening to south wall of north-west block, having half-glazed timber panelled door. Five-bay single-storey outbuilding to north having pitched corrugated-metal roof, rubble limestone walls, square-headed openings with brick voussoirs, limestone sills and timber battened doors, and with round-arch vehicular entrance to east gable with brick voussoirs and timber battened double-leaf doors. Three-bay single-storey outbuilding to west having pitched slate roof, rubble sandstone walls and square-headed openings with timber lintels, timber louvers and timber battened doors. Square-plan ashlar limestone piers with ornate caps and double-leaf cast-iron gates to road entrance.

Marybrook House is an unusual structure which contains the remains of a medieval tower house at its core. The diminishing windows and the lack of windows to the façade adds considerable interest to the building and testifies to the building's ancient nature. The remains of the machicolation to the east gable is also a clear indication. The simple doorway, representing the main decorative focus of the house, is of finely carved limestone and is indicative of the skill of eighteenth-century stonecutters. The house is enhanced by the retention of the varied timber sash windows and the slate roofs. The outbuildings are solidly built and, together with the ornate limestone piers, enhance the setting of this substantial house.