The Old House
On the junction between Main Street and Albert Street stands The Old House. This beautiful grade I listed building, dated 1678 and built by William Parker, is a superb example of a renaissance house. It is very early red brick with stone quoins and cornice. The mullioned, transom windows are also stone with rectangular leaded lights. The front porch has two Tuscan columns at each corner, and above this, the central first floor window is flanked by two pilasters with carved gargoyles near the top. This is covered by a beautiful scrolled stone pediment with the Parker coat of arms and date inscribed. The roof is Swithland Slate with dormer windows on three sides. On the North side there are two unusual, oval bullseye windows. The front garden is very formally laid out and surrounded by semicircular railings decorated with gold coloured finials. The two small clipped trees are, surprisingly, Leylandii. Inside the house there is a cellar where there is an original bread oven. Other original features in the house are flagstone floors and oak paneling in the library and on the staircase, which has twisted balusters. At one time, there were some stables in Albert Street which belonged to the property, which have since been converted into a house. Some of the grounds to the rear have been developed into a small housing estate called Beech Tree Close. Former occupiers of the house were the Jack family. Brigadier Jack, known locally as ‘General Jack’, was a popular and somewhat eccentric character who was very much involved with horses, and when out riding, would always raise his hat high into the air on meeting him, especially in the presence of ladies! His wife was also a member of the Fernie Hunt, (which used to meet in the house grounds occasionally), always wore black and rode side-saddle.

The Old House

On the junction between Main Street and Albert Street stands The Old House. This beautiful grade I listed building, dated 1678 and built by William Parker, is a superb example of a renaissance house. It is very early red brick with stone quoins and cornice. The mullioned, transom windows are also stone with rectangular leaded lights. The front porch has two Tuscan columns at each corner, and above this, the central first floor window is flanked by two pilasters with carved gargoyles near the top. This is covered by a beautiful scrolled stone pediment with the Parker coat of arms and date inscribed. The roof is Swithland Slate with dormer windows on three sides. On the North side there are two unusual, oval bullseye windows.
The front garden is very formally laid out and surrounded by semicircular railings decorated with gold coloured finials. The two small clipped trees are, surprisingly, Leylandii.
Inside the house there is a cellar where there is an original bread oven. Other original features in the house are flagstone floors and oak paneling in the library and on the staircase, which has twisted balusters.
At one time, there were some stables in Albert Street which belonged to the property, which have since been converted into a house. Some of the grounds to the rear have been developed into a small housing estate called Beech Tree Close.
Former occupiers of the house were the Jack family. Brigadier Jack, known locally as ‘General Jack’, was a popular and somewhat eccentric character who was very much involved with horses, and when out riding, would always raise his hat high into the air on meeting him, especially in the presence of ladies! His wife was also a member of the Fernie Hunt, (which used to meet in the house grounds occasionally), always wore black and rode side-saddle.

	Updated February 13th 1999