Record Details

NHER Number:3681
Type of record:Monument
Name:Site of Weasenham Hall

Summary

The site of a large red brick and terracotta Neo-Jacobean house, probably on the site of an earlier manor house, built in 1905 for the second Earl of Leicester. It was demolished in the year 2000 or shortly afterwards ahead of the site being redeveloped.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 8489 2128
Map Sheet:TF82SW
Parish:WEASENHAM ALL SAINTS, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

Late 19th/20th century.
30 August 1979. Visit. Large Late Victorian or Edwardian extravaganza with shaped gables, twisted chimneys, strapwork balustrades etcetera, all in red brick and terracotta. Good iron gates.
E. Rose (NAU).

Built in 1905 on site of an earlier hall that appears from photographs kept in the house to have been Georgian. Another pair of gates, dating back to the previous hall, are overgrown on the Swaffham road.
See account in file of heraldry, and turret formerly over door.

Map of 1590 shows drawing of Manor House on this site, removed west from Easthall medieval site. Two storeys (only such house in village) and chimney at each end. See (S2).
P. Wade Martins (NAU).

March 2000. Cross Reference with NHER 18306. Owner (source [3]) refers to map of 1600, showing farm buildings on the site of the later halls. The Georgian hall may be early 18th century.
See letter (S3) in file.
D. Gurney (NLA), 31 March 2000.

Source [2] disagrees with last statement and says this is only a farmhouse not a manor, and dates map to 1600 not 1590. However it is clear there was a two storeyed house with chimneys and outbuildings on the site.
A. Rogerson (NLA) notes that the Mr Brown noted on the map was indeed lord of the manor according to Bloomfield.
The long pond to the west is not shown on the 1590 map and is probably not a moat as owner suggested.
Copy of correspondence and architectural plans (S4) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 27 June 2000.

Press cuttings (S5), (S6), (S7), (S8), (S9), (S10), (S11), (S12) and (S13) in file.

Monument Types

  • MANOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • GREAT HOUSE (Early 20th Century to Late 20th Century - 1905 AD to 2000 AD)
  • GREAT HOUSE (Early 20th Century to Late 20th Century - 1905 AD to 2000 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: TF8421B, C..
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2008. Echoes of a lost heritage. 29 November.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 754-755.
---Newspaper Article: Dereham and Fakenham Times. 2000. Let hall come down - officers. 9 May.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2000. Doomed to destruction.. 14 March.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Unpublished Document: Mourin, K. and Sims, A. P. 1999. A Description of the Arms Found in Weasenham Hall. Norfolk Heraldry Society.
<S2>Monograph: Wade-Martins, P. 1980. Fieldwork and Excavation on Village Sites in Launditch Hundred, Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 10. pp 59-64.
<S3>Correspondence: Coke, T.. 2000. Letter to D. Gurney (NLA). 23 March.
<S4>Drawing: Various. Various. Architectural plans.
<S5>Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1998. Rural magnificence (Sale advertisement). 30 October.
<S6>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1999-2000. [Articles on the demolition of Weasenham Hall].
<S7>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1999. Demolition of country hall would be a 'waste'.. 9 November.
<S8>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1999. Hall can be demolished.. 30 November.
<S9>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2000. Historian hopes to save old mansion.. 4 February.
<S10>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2000. Blow for historian in bid to save hall.. 9 February.
<S11>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2000. Demolition of hall set for go-ahead.. 8 March.
<S12>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2000. Hall lis to be demolished.. 14 March.
<S13>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2000. Mayor attacks council over hall decision.. 24 March.

Related records - none

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