County Record Office (former Rectory)

Cadw's description

Location

At the end of Rectory Lane in its own walled grounds, to the E of the church.

History

A large brick building of several dates. First mentioned in 1663, and described as: "3 bays of new buildings and one of old half-timbered building." Evidence survives for what probably relates to the "new" buildings (brick with stone quoins) in the centre of the E front. Additions by Rector Williams (1741-70), and again by Sir Stephen Glynne (1770-80) to designs by his friend Mr. Booth Grey. A garden was laid out at this time by Wliiiam Emes, the notable landscape gardener, for ú97,2.8d. George Neville, a subsequent rector, added a new porch, hall, staircase and library, probably to his own designs.

The building ceased being a rectory in 1924, when it became the Knutsford Test School, a training college for mature ordinands. A neo-Georgian wing was added to this end in 1927. Further additions were made in 1958 when the building became the (then) Flintshire Record Office.

Exterior

Garden (E) front of 4 main ranges, all of red brick with stone-capped parapets and shallow slated roofs. The L one 3-storey, 7 bay in undistinguished Neo-Georgian style. Entrance to R bay with flat, moulded stone canopy and plain, moulded stone architrave to recessed glazed door of 15 panes. Central stone plaque above door inscribed "AD 1927." Recessed oculus above, of 12 panes. 3rd-floor 15 pane, recessed sash window. All other windows of 12-pane sash type with lightly projecting stone cills. Large returned bow window on S return, with 9x12-pane sashes.

Central range with large, mid-C18 canted bay to the L (Rector Williams) with 9, 12, and 6-pane recessed sashes, 3 of each respectively from ground to 3rd floor. Painted and rendered voussoirs and painted, projecting cills. To the R of this a vertical join with sandstone quoins to first floor. This predates both the bay and the range to its R, and probably relates to the Restoration period house.
To the R 5 further bays, all disturbed, the first 2 with similar window arrangement to canted bay. 3 remaining bays with tall one-and-a-half storey windows to ground floor, of 15, 15 and 18 panes respectively. Above these 3x6-pane windows as before. Renewed parapet. Voussoirs and cills as before. Recessed slightly to the R and stepped-up, a later, 2-storey block of 4 irregular bays (Rector Glynne's addition). Large, recessed tripartite, 20-pane sash window to ground floor. Then 3 elegant, full-length sash windows to the R, of 15 panes with contemporary external blind boxes. Sash windows to first floor, 2 to the L of 12 panes, those to the R Victorian 4-pane replacements. Large canted bay to ground floor of N face with 3x15-pane sashes. 25-pane tripartite window above.

Large storied entrance porch to the W, acting as a Porte Cochere, with 3 depressed arches. To the R a large 25-pane tripartite window lighting a stair well. All Rector Grenville, c.1814. To the R of this an undistinguished modern wing.

Ice House: In the grounds to the E, towards the boundary wall with Cross Tree Lane, a C17 or C18 ice house. Conventional form, of brick and with domed top. Currently blocked.

Interior

Largely modernised. Galleried stair well with plain stairs with swept rail and plain, thin balusters.