Although it does not look it, this is one of the oldest houses in North Buckinghamshire. It was restored in 1993 after a long period of standing empty following the death of the last of the Bird family who had been the local builders working for the Finch family estate for many generations. When the roof timbers were inspected, they revealed construction techniques dating from about 1300 including the use of a cruck. It is thought that it was originally an open 'hall' house, and this is borne out by the considerable smoke blackening found on the inside of the old roof timbers above the likely position of a central hearth. It seems that this was one of the two manor houses of Milton Keynes, the other being behind the church and visible only as an ill-defined moat ditch in the field.