Record Details

NHER Number:20144
Type of record:Building
Name:Church Farmhouse

Summary

This is a complicated and important building dating to the early 16th century. It is a grand timber framed house with a first floor hall with crownpost roof above an ornate ground floor parlour in the main block. In the crosswing is an open chamber and a probably kitchen and service rooms below. This part of the house may represent Seamere Hall Manor House. A west extension and a smithy to the south were added in the 18th century when much of the older material was replaced.

Images

  • The gable end of Church Farmhouse in Blo Norton. The farmhouse is a grand example of an early 16th century timber framed house  © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service

Location

Grid Reference:TM 0121 7979
Map Sheet:TM07NW
Parish:BLO NORTON, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

July 1951. Listed, Grade II.*
Late 15th century timber frame, wattle and daub. T-plan with first floor hall. 15th century cross wing to north. Altered 18th century. Jetty on east front with pargetting. North cross wing has stepped external 16th century stack. South extension is early 18th century smithy with diamond stopped beams and fireplace incorporating original hall stack. Two gabled wings to west; southern is 18th century, northern is original. Interior (lounge) has fine five rollmoulded bridging beam with tongue stops. Roll-chamfered joists. Part exposed close studding. Excellent crown post roof with five square section crownposts. Purlin and collars intact.
Information from (S1).
E. Rose (NAU), 15 March 1984.

14 January 1996. Seen in passing.
At which time the gable of the western projection described as 'original' above had lost its plasterwork and infill, leaving large studs standing free. Much of building seemed to be unoccupied.
E.Rose (NLA), 17 January 1996.

December 1996. Field Observation.
Inspection of building confirms listing, except that original date seems more probably about 1520 than 15th century. Magnificent interior; first floor hall with crownpost roof is above the lounge with moulded beams, but the crosswing also has a small first floor hall, and an unusual pattern of service rooms. The ground floor consists of one large room, and two service rooms set in line, opening off a corridor to one side. The 18th century extensions are unusually ornate in their framing. The moulding and carving elaborations and also the presence of an open hall in both wings suggests that this may well be Seamere Hall Manor, which significantly is recorded by Blomefield as changing ownership in 1521.
See report (S2) for further details. These observation are also noted summarised in (S5) and (S6).
E. Rose (NLA), 11 December 1996 amended by M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 8 July 2013.

31 July 1997. Inspection of building.
The projection from the main block is confirmed of being late 17th or 18th century date. At some period pargetting was added, and more recently covered again. The catslide porch can now be confirmed as post dating this projection and is built of reused timbers. The infill was replaced in brick after the 1930s.
See (S3).
E. Rose (NLA), 1 August 1997.

9 January 1998. Inspection of building.
The south face of the crosswing east of the main blockseems to date from before the end of the 17th century.
See (S4).
E. Rose (NLA), 16 January 1998.

Monument Types

  • HALL HOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • TIMBER FRAMED BUILDING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BLACKSMITHS WORKSHOP (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • MANOR (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Photograph: HPT 8-19.
---Illustration: Various. Various. Architectural plans.
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TM 07 NW 62.
---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 210; Pl 63.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>Designation: English Heritage. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1077441.
<S2>Unpublished Document: Rose, E. (NLA). 1996. Building Report.. Building Report.
<S3>Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 1997. Building Report. Building Report.
<S4>Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 1998. Building Report.. Building Report.
<S5>Article in Serial: Nenk, B. S., Haith, C. and Bradley, J. 1997. Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1996. Medieval Archaeology. Vol XLI pp 241-328. pp 277-278.
<S6>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 1997. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1996. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLII Pt IV pp 547-564. p 548.

Related records - none

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