The house was altered several times, gaining its current "Regency Gothic" style at the beginning of the 19th century.

[3] "The Arrouasian canons differed very little from other Augustinians, and sometimes abandoned at an early date the slight distinctions they originally had".

[2] A visit in 1518 by William Atwater, Bishop of Lincoln, found the discipline at the abbey was "lax", and that the refectory needed to be repaired.

[2] There is no extant plan of the medieval monastery, but a partial reconstruction is possible based on documentary evidence, excavation work and comparisons with other religious houses of the period.

The Abbey Church, which was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, was located on the North side of the cloister, running from west to east, as was typical of the period.

[5] Excavations conducted in 1983 showed that the abbey church was built in two or three phases; the earliest of which dated from the mid-12th century.

Also known as "Missenden Abbey", the house was constructed in 1574, on the site of the former cloisters, and incorporating some of the monastic remains.

The two storied house was built around a courtyard and featured "castellated parapets, corner turrets with arrow slits and conical caps.