Record Details

NHER Number:3499
Type of record:Monument
Name:Site of Appleton Hall

Summary

This is the site of Appleton Hall, a mansion built in the late 1590s by Sir Edward Paston. The mansion was destroyed by fire in 1707. A drawing made before the fire shows an elaborate porch tower, with ornate strapwork, bearing the date 1596. Several blocks of carved masonry survive in garden walls on the site.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 7057 2746
Map Sheet:TF72NW
Parish:FLITCHAM WITH APPLETON, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Appleton Hall
Constructed in 1596 and destroyed by fire in 1707.
Various sources within the Bolingbroke Collection (S1) indicate that this Appleton Hall was originally moated and included a chapel, but it is believed these references actually relate to the earlier medieval hall located at NHER 1042.
A pre-18th century illustration (S2) shows a porch tower (not 'lodge' as in (S1)) with very ornate strapwork doorway more like Jacobean but dated 1596, window above and pedimented gable window.
Rest of house demolished after 1707. A new house, called Appleton House (NHER 3500), was constructed to the west in the 19th century and the area of the old house was replaced by a garden wall.

April 1984. Field Observation.
An aerial photograph taken in 1941 (S3) shows the walled garden of Appleton House (NHER 3500) still intact but no porch tower from Appleton Hall.
The gardens of Appleton House (NHER 3500) are now demolished and ploughed over. The field is full of rubble but all this seems recent.
Ploughman reports hitting 'large obstructions' and [2] noted 'entrances to secret passages and priests holes' which he found and had preserved by filling them with earth [3]. Western part area not ploughed and cellar might remain here.
In wall at northwest of area dividing from grounds of Appleton House some carved stone blocks remain; carving seems to belong to house of 1596.
Hall was burnt down 1707 and replaced by Appleton House (NHER 3500).
E. Rose (NAU), 6 April 1984.

Monument Types

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

Associated Finds

  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 180.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Medieval. Flitcham with Appleton.
<S1>Archive: Bolingbroke Collection.
<S2>Illustration: pre 1707. Drawing.
<S3>Aerial Photograph: [Unknown]. 1941. Aerial photograph of Appleton House.

Related records - none

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