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The archaic word in 12a has support in Chambers, Collins and the SOED.

I am still struggling with 8d. The only word which fits with my crossers, and is also a horsechestnut with one inserted, doesn't appear to exist?

Ah, just found it in OED

A real Call My Bluff candidate, I’d say, Neville!

Thanks all for explaining 12a. I don't really hold with the use of obscure words nobody's heard of, but I guess as it's a prize crossword all's fair.

The word is possibly more familiar when preceded by "house-".

Very good puzzle I thought, I don't think I would have got 9d in a month of Sundays if I hadn't been there once for a meeting and its origin came up in conversation.

I am a little confused by the 2nd and 3rd letters of 5a, are they an obscure abbreviation of a word in the clue or am I missing the bleeding obvious?

Justsolve
The second and third letters should be read together as an archaic word.

justsolve
The second and third letters are a somewhat archaic word for "always".