The Old Rectory, Croscombe
| The Old Rectory | |
|---|---|
  Location of The Old Rectory in Somerset | |
| Location | Croscombe, Somerset, England |
| Coordinates | 51°11′46″N 2°35′09″W / 51.19611°N 2.58583°W |
| Built | 17th century |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
| Designated | 17 October 1985[1] |
| Reference no. | 1058829 |
The Old Rectory in the village of Croscombe within the English county of Somerset was built in the 17th century and rebuilt in the 18th. It is a Grade II listed building.[1]
The two storey house has a slate roof. The door has a triglyph frieze with a paterae and cornice on twin Tuscan pilasters.[1] It has four bedrooms and three bathrooms.[2] It is surrounded by gardens separated from the road by walls.[3]
The house was sold for £755,000 in 2007,[4][5] when it was seen as being "unsuitable for the clergy".[6]
In 2014 it was announced by the Church Commissioners that the house would be purchased, for £900,000 as a residence for Peter Hancock the incoming Bishop of Bath and Wells as an alternative to living at the traditional Bishop's Palace in Wells, to provide him with more privacy.[7] The controversial decision was opposed by local clergy and residents,[8] who criticised the lack of consultation.[3] The decision was later reversed after a committee appointed by the Archbishops' Council ruled that the Bishop should continue to live at the Palace in Wells.[9]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Historic England. "Parsonage House (1058829)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- ^ "Senior West clerics criticise Bishop's new £900k mansion". Western Morning News. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ a b Bingham, John (26 January 2014). "Palace coup: Church in open rebellion over decision to downsize bishop to country pile". The Telegraph. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ "The Old Rectory, Wells, Mendip, Somerset, BA5 3QN". Land Registry. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "Property details for The Old Rectory, Croscombe, Wells BA5 3QN". Zoopla. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ Gledhill, Ruth. "Church buys back rectory after Bishop's Palace is declared unfit".
- ^ "Bishop of Bath and Wells to swap Wells palace for Georgian rectory in Croscombe". Western Daily Press. 24 January 2014. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "Decision to move Somerset's bishops out of historic home is a "public relations disaster"". Western Gazette. 27 January 2014. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "Determination of objection to regulation transaction: House of Residence of Bishop of Bath and Wells" (PDF). Archbishops' Council. 1 May 2014.