Barton Rectory

The house itself is probably 16th century, although the actual date when it was built is not known. In 1607 the Rectory was described as a mansion house of four bays, with 30 rooms on two storeys. The house also had a brew house, a milk house, a boulting house (where flour was sifted) and a furnace house, as well as sundry pantries and butler's cellars. It also boaste a corn loft, and over the loft, a house of office. The Victorian History of Bedfordshire describes the house as being considerable age in part. On 28th April 1952 the property was Grade II listed and described as: 

"C17 rectory, altered. Colour washed roughcast over timber frame on solid plinth. Old clay tile roof, modern brick tops to 2 five-flued stacks. Shallow H plan, with cross-wing gables at either end breaking slightly forward on both long elevations. Two storeys and attics. Front (north) elevation: each cross-wing gable has one window in each of 3 floors. The main wing has a ground floor central 4-light window, flanked on the west by a 2-light window and on the east by a front door under a C19 2-storey porch with a hipped roof; there is a single 4-light window on the first floor. All windows have leaded lights, and most, wooden mullions and transoms. Rear (south) elevation has 3 gables, each with 2 ground floor sash windows with glazing bars. Central, slightly recessed, gable has central panelled front door set back in panelled porch, with pediiiented hood on brackets over. First floor has 2 sashes per gable, and attic floor 1, all with glazing bars. Single storey brick extension on west end. Short length of brick garden wall running east from house."

List of sources from Bedfordshire Archives: 

• Z1130/7/45: Postcard of entrance to Barton Rectory & Springs, 1906.
• Z1052/2/2: Black and white postcard of The Rectory, 1938
• Z449/1/38: Sale particulars of Barton Rectory, 2006