NHER 9760 (Building record) - Keswick Hall

March 1979. Visit.
White brick, three storeys, seven bays, three bay pediment. Inside, central tripartite room with square scagliola pillars according to (S1). Square pilastered porch on north. To west large bow-fronted portion with one bay side pieces. (S1) ascribes this to 1817, by Wilkins. The older portion seems late 18th century. Surprisingly, a document in the possession of the owners of Keswick Old Hall gives the date of the whole building as around 1830 to 1840. This, however, cannot be correct; according to Norfolk Record Office there is a book by a Mr Johnson entitled 'Keswick Hall 1817 to 1957' ((S1) source?) and the style of the bow-front is very unlikely to be post 1830, though the 18th century part might conceivably have been built that late - but it seems certainly older than the bow. Hall is now surrounded by college buildings of the 1950s.
E. Rose (NAU), 15 March 1979.

History of college (S2) in file gives apparently conclusive evidence for construction in 1817. (S2) includes photo of college chapel interior.
E. Rose (NAU), 16 June 1981.

October 1987. Listed, Grade II.
1817 with extensions of 1839.
See (S3) for the complete listing description.
E. Rose (NLA), 18 November 1998.

March 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The aerial photographs dating to the 1940s consulted during the NMP project indicated that the Hall appears to have been requisitioned for use as a military camp or headquarters during World War Two, see NHER 52020 for details. This presumably takes place after the death of Mrs Gurney, the then inhabitant of the hall, in 1940.
S. Horlock (NMP), 24 March 2009.