NHER 5115 (Monument record) - Blickling Hall and formal gardens

Blickling Hall, one of the most important Jacobean houses in England.
Present building replaced a medieval house, built in 1390s, with 16th century additions.
Built 1616 to 1627, inside medieval moat, for Sir Henry Hobart, and designed by Robert Lyminge, the architect of Hatfield House.
Altered 1765 to 1785 by Thomas and William Ivory of Norwich.
Red brick with stone dressings, 4 storeys, originally a double courtyard plan.
Strapwork decoration above windows.
Doorway in south façade with elaborate entrance and 3 sotrey lantern turret.
Elaborate chimney pieces and plaster ceilings in interior, stained glass window in Hall from 16th or 17th century.
Reset medieval fireplaces, etc.

Formal gardens to east, of various dates.
Probably contemporary with the building of the house in the early 17th century.
Tuscan temple 1730.
Orangery 1795.
A statue of Hercules, and a fountain are 16th or 17th century, and are from Oxnead Hall.
NAU air photography shows a cropmark of a formal garden of about 1900.
See (S1) and (S2).
S. Spooner (NLA), August 2005

1951. Bronze Age macehead found.
1987. Medieval tiles found.
See details in file.
E. Rose (NAU).

1970s or 1980s. Norwich Survey.
See (S3) for moulding details.
T.E. Miller (NLA), 4 January 2006.

Unique sewerage system of 1890 which draws stream through cellars, see NIAS survey of sewage works on fiche.

(S4) describes a rare survival of a 'punishment' room for servants on the roof of the house, with original graffiti.

2007.
Conservation work following flooding in 2002 led to the rediscovery of a 19th-century arts-and-crafts style ceiling.
See (S5) for further details,
H. White, (NLA), 29 January 2010

2008
The extensive gardens at Blickling Hall will be included in a national survey of all plants in the grounds of National Trust properties in order to aid management.
See (S6) for further details.
H. Hamilton (NLA), 27 May 2008.

September 2008.
An extensive review of the estate was carried out, to assess the condition of and recommend future conservation works to the whole estate landscape.
See (S7) for further information
H. White (NLA), 4 February 2009

March 2009.
Previously unknown eighteenth century drainage culvert discovered.
See (S8)
H. White (NLA), 4 March 2009

July 2009.
Mortlake tapestries restored and rehung in the Upper Ante Room.
See (S9) for further details
H. White (NLA), 8 July 2009

December 2009.
Human tooth discovered in the attic.
See (S10) for further details,
H. White (NLA), 29 January 2010.

January 2010.
The main staircase and the Brown staircase have been tested in advance of repair work.
See (S11) for details.
H. White (NLA), 25 March 2010.

For further information about the Boleyns at Blicking, see (S12).
A. Cattermole (HES), 20 July 2011.

Restoration of the ornate chest from Blickling Hall has been found to be over 400 years older the previously thought and has been reported to have been brought back from Italy probably in 1861.
See (S13) for further information.
M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 15 February 2013.

During World War Two the house was requisitioned and served as the Officers Mess of nearby RAF Oulton (NHER 7364).
D. Gurney (HES), 08 March 2013.