Record Details
| NHER Number: | 10965 |
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| Type of record: | Building |
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| Name: | Hill House, formerly Depwade Union Workhouse |
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Summary
Built in red brick in 1836, this former workhouse has three storeys and wings radiating from a central rotunda with cupola. The wings end in houses with pedimented raised central bay, and at the corners of the outer wall enclosure, there are defensible gun turrets with vertical slits, one with a chimney. To the north lies a simple brick Gothic Revival chapel, of later date, from which was taken an interesting panel depicting an angel leading a woman away from 'symbols of darkness'.
Images
Location
| Grid Reference: | TM 1860 8754 |
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| Map Sheet: | TM18NE |
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| Parish: | PULHAM MARKET, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Former workhouse. 1836 by Thorold.
5 June 1980. Site visited by E. Rose.
Red brick, three storey wings radiate from a central rotunda with cupola. Wings end in houses with pedimented raised central bay. At corners of outer wall enclosure, defensible gun turrets with vertical slits, one with a chimney (but east wall and southeast position part demolished). To north simple brick Gothic Revival chapel, of ?later date. Now a hotel, this building's claim to historical importance is that it was the NAU's first headquarters.
Machines from laundry in Gressenhall Rural Life Museum.
Addenda: The Houses at the ends of the wings were originally joined by buildings to produce an octagonal building divided into four quadrants by the cross. The north-west quadrant has been demolished.
In the stained glass museum at Ely Cathedral is a window on permanent loan from Norfolk County Council by Heaton,
Butler and Baine 1900 from the chapel, showing an angel leading a woman away from snales, lizards and bats. The
museum label queries why these 'symbols of darkness' were included in a chapel window but the message would seem
to be the leading of the poor out of darkness; the museum curator was unaware Hill House had been a workhouse
E. Rose (NAU), 28 June 1999
See (S1) and (S2) in secondary file.
The workhouse has now been converted to flats, and a garden centre is situated in front of it.
R. Fillery-Travis (NLA), 11 December 2006.
1836 by William Thorold. Formerly the Workhouse. Red brick with blue headers. Low pitched slate roofs. Central octagon with bellcote, and four three-storey wings forming cross plan, linked at ends by single storey ranges, with an
overall octagonal plan. The west wing facing front has pedimented gable, large first floor sash window with glazing bars and margin lights and doorway with cornice hood on large brackets, flanked by lower two-storey one window wings, sashes with glazing bars.
Information from (S3).
Detailed photographs of steam machinery in NIAS records.
See (S4)
W. Arnold (HES), 21 Febuary 2011
Monument Types
- CHAPEL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- FORTIFICATION (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- SITE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- WORKHOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status
Sources and further reading
| --- | Aerial Photograph: TM1887 D,K-M. |
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, W. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 594. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| --- | Fiche: Exists. |
| <S1> | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1988. Disused hotel as homes approved. 2 June. |
| <S2> | Illustration: Various. Various. Architectural plans. |
| <S3> | Designation: English Heritage. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1050216. |
| <S4> | Archive: NIAS. Norfolk Industrial Archaeology Society Records. |
Related records - none
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