Record Details

NHER Number:2823
Type of record:Monument
Name:Site of Gressenhall House and Evergreen Farm

Summary

This is the site of Gressenhall House, an 18th century house which was demolished in 1948. The surviving walled garden and outbuildings date to the 18th century. An estate map of 1624 refers to the site as 'New Hall Yards', indicating that there was a substantial house on the site from at least the 17th century. Evergreen Farm, which now stands on the site, is still surrounded by a small park. Details of the medieval and post medieval parks associated with the house are now recorded separately as NHER 50576 and 51031.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 9596 1524
Map Sheet:TF91NE
Parish:GRESSENHALL, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

October 1978. Visit
Destroyed in 1946 after army occupation; oak panelling and staircase sold to USA. Information from [1].
Walled garden and outbuildings surviving are 18th century brick; also a 19th century flint cottage.
House at one time had 14 servants.
Now Evergreen Pig Farm.
E. Rose (NAU), 26 October 1978.

Department of Environment in 1948 described this as a brick and tiled house, 3 storeys, 2 storey wing; Georgian doorway with fanlight.
This is noted on (S5).
E. Rose (NAU).

(S1) refers to a house 'near the park of Gressenhall' suggesting there was an earlier mansion.
E. Rose (NAU), 17 March 1982.

(S3) notes that one of the fireplaces from St Anne's House, King's Lynn was taken to 'Sir Ralph Hare's at Gressenhall'. This was presumably one of those sold to America.
E. Rose (NLA), 5 February 2004.

The flint cottage mentioned above is shown on (S4) as at one end of a long east to west block to the southeast of the main house; the remainder of this block has been demolished at some date and the west wall of the cottage rebuilt in 20th century brick. Cottage derelict, to be demolished. Walled garden survives in good condition.
E. Rose (NLA), 1 October 2004.

November 2007.
The former park shown on the estate map of 1624 (S2) is now recorded separately as NHER 50576. The later park is recorded as NHER 51031. The site of the 18th century house was labelled as 'New Hall Yards' on the 1624 map (S2), confirming the presence of an earlier house at this site, as suggested above by (S1).
J. Albone (NMP), 20 November 2007.

Monument Types

  • GARDEN WALL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • GREAT HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WALLED GARDEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
<S1>Archive: 1693. A Hastings manuscript of 22 January 1693.. NRO MR 227 242.
<S2>Map: Waterman, T.. 1624. Map of Gressenhall.
<S3>Publication: Beloe, E.M.. 1899. Our Borough Our Churches. 2.
<S4>Map: Ordnance Survey. 1906. Second edition 25".
<S5>Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 91 NE 25.

Related records - none

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