NHER 44209 (Building record) - Wellhurn Cottages, 401-407 Well Road, site of Emneth Lodge

Terrace of houses in red Marshland brick; two storeys with internal gable stacks and central stack. Roof of recent pantiles. Front of each house originally had ground floor door and window under flat arches and single first floor window, but most openings have been altered in 20th century. At centre of first floor is inscription formed of terracotta or brick letters; southeast quoins of terrace formed of high relief terracotta mouldings.

(S1) to (S3) state that these fragments were reset from Emneth Lodge, a mansion that was demolished in early 19th century and replaced by the cottages. The inscription is stated to read Man in Mirth have Mercy in Mind/For Measure is Treasure when Mirth is at End.

(S4) has print of 1819 by J S Cotman captioned Emneth Lodge which shows a half-H-shaped building with gabled wings of two storeys, one of which has a mullioned window with hoodmould to the gable wall, and a finial on the gable; the centre block has a dormer above the door and a wooden-cross window, a thatched roof and a double-polygonal stack. The impression is that of a mansion of around 1600 (possibly with even older core) and with a later 17th century window inserted.

(S5) shows the present terrace which was therefore present before the 1840s, suggesting a date of demolition between 1820 and 1840.
Photographs (S6) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 9 March 2006.