NHER 6150 (Building record) - Old Hall

Old Hall.

February 1952. Listed, Grade II.

Described by Cozens Hardy in (S1) as c.1500 or before, with mullioned windows and faced flints. Became Old Hal in 1800 when New Hall built. Description of 1641 mentions gallery and gatehouse; coveyance of 1721 refers to messuage called Deys or Old Womans House adjoining on east, which retains some oak panelling. Front door has initials RH signifying perhaps Robert Halding, died 1549.
However sale advertisement in (S2) dates to 17th century and say perhaps built by Jan Van Hazedunk, assistant to Vermuyden. Photograph shows two-storeyed house with cross-windows and a ?19th-century bay window; small block windows in gable; small paired stacks on each gable; small attached wing. Appearance is certainly of 17th or late 16th century in this photo.
Compiled by E. Rose (NAU), 21 June 1985. Information from record card (S3).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 3 July 2023.

Somewhat vague article in Period Home (S4) has photograph of rear of house showing a projecting hipped roof wing with late round tower in angle with main wing. Article contains the following statements relevant here; the house stands on the site of the 15th-century manor: the attributmon to Van Hazedunk is maintained: after the building of New Hall the house became a bailiff's house, then a farm, until restored by Col. H. Blount in 1948. A priest's hole was found "above the dining room" and an old sreen in the sitting room, the latter now used as a grille to the former. Panelling, doors and floors were brought from Col. Blount' house "in Leicestershire" and a fine oak screen (photo suggests marriage of 17th- and 18th-century sections) came from Marks Hall, Coggeshall, Essex. It was inserted between dining and sitting rooms on the site of the removed main staircase. The dining hall has a "huge open fireplace" relined in 1948 with "Roman bricks found on a bombed site in Great Yarmouth". Bricked up Tudor doorways behind panelling are mentioned (in a house rebuilt 17th century?) including one "leading to the village pound for when travelling assizes were held there". The round tower was added in 1956 to replace the removed staircase.
This would seem to be the building noted by Pevsner as "a largish house by Guy Dawber with entrance in a round tower". Perhaps Dawber added the tower.
Compiled by E. Rose 26 March 1986. Information from record cards (S3).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 3 July 2023.

Listed building description 1985 (Grade II) says 16th to 17th century with windows 1948 and stair turret 1956. Flint, brick and pantile. Seven roof bays plus gable stack bays. Three south-east bays at slight angle. Two storeys and attic south-west facade, five bays, coursed galleted flint, some erratics and nodules, central section rebuilt in pale flint, moulded renewed cornice. Internal gable stack with lozenge shafts (renewed to right). Four-centred door and renewed door centre left; quoin to right half building, ground floor only, alternating early brick and flints. Two original openings to right, each two-light mullioned and hoodmoulded; small opening below with wooden shutter; opening to right blocked with flints. All windows of 1948 and some 1948 openings match originals - all upper floor openings of this date, plus dormer and bay window. Single storey 1860 extension to end bay right. Right gable has one window each level including attic; left gable has paired windows attic and first floor. North-east front has 18th-century two-bay addition to left. Again first floor windows are 1948, and large circular stair turret across centre door. Interior consists of two large tall rooms on ground floor, south-east room has massive beams, bridging beam showing change of angle in house; large fireplace; part 16th-century screen with two doorways and balustrade, repositioned. 1860 extension has figure tiller from French collier wrecked 1913 as handrail. North-west room has massive ovolo moulded beams; 17th-century panelling from eslewhere brought in in 1948. Two four-centred doorways in partition between rooms, and opposing doors against partition, that in north-east wall now internal. Large stone fireplace with similar decoration to that on pulpit of 1611 in Cley church. 18th-century extension has repositioned fireplace and panelling. Upper floor renewed 1948 with panelling, corner closet in south-east room, stone fireplace in north-west.
Roof of single clasped purlins, curved windbraces. Single storey east extension once dairy now in incorporates archway to yard.
(Comparing these two accounts, the screen described in Listing must be that placed on site of main staircase - so opposing doors cannot be original).
Compiled by E. Rose 26 March 1986. Information from record cards (S3).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S5) for the full, current listing details.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 3 July 2023.

A range of 18th-century barns attached to Old Hall and a range of four early 18th-century barns approximately 40m to the south-east of the house were also listed Grade II in February 1952. These two groups of buildings are now recorded seperatately as NHERs 67139 and 67140 respectively.
P. Watkins (HES), 3 July 2023.