Record Details

NHER Number:22426
Type of record:Building
Name:Bircham Centre, Market Place

Summary

This building, two storeys high with attics and a cellar, facing onto the market place, was previously known as Hackford House and at the beginning of the 19th century served as Hackford Rectory. The façade seems to date from about this time. A timber framed rear wing dates from the late 16th century. Observations during repair work in 1997 came to the conclusion that the building is 16th century, later reduced in size and then altered in the 18th/19th century when some 16th century doors were reset and the cellar dug.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 1003 2284
Map Sheet:TG12SW
Parish:REEPHAM, BROADLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

July 1983. Listed, Grade II.
17th century greatly altered 19th. Red brick rendered, black pantiles and slates.
U-shaped plan, two storeys and attics, forming courtyard to east.
Market Place west façade four windows extended with one blank bay to south.
Central Gothick porch.
Windows 19th century.
Shaped eaves brackets in pairs.
Three dormers.
End stack north, offcentre axial stack to south.
Rear wings have 19th century windows.
South wing has storey height windows on ground floor.
See (S1) for the complete listing details.
E. Rose (NAU), 7 April 1986.

Plans (S2) submitted (see file) 1986 for minor internal changes suggest that north wing is the original timber framed building, with spine and bridging beams in place, but no pre-19th century work recorded in southern section.
First floor room at northwest corner is marked as having a dragon beam; usually found on ground floor to support a jetty.
What is its significance here? It crosses a bridging beam but details are not given on plan.
E. Rose (NAU), 7 April 1986.

9 April 1986. Visit.
Façade also has giant pilasters at ends.
Much of interior not accesible, but dragon beam seems original with large stops but painted over. It now stops behind the one pilaster and there is an 18th century brick adjoining. It seems the attic floor could never have been jettied to the west, but the later façade hides much.Was there a former façade to north with attic jetty, now sealed by the later house? Decorations hide most of interior.
E. Rose (NAU), 9 April 1986.

1997. Building Survey.
North wall of the rear range rebuilt, providing an opportunity to examine and record the full extent of the timber-framed wall that lies behind. This work suggested that the building is 16th century, reduced in size; altered in 18th/19th century when some 16th century doors were reset and cellar dug.
See report (S3) for further details. See also extract from (S4) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 12 September 1997.

This building was a military hospital during the Great War, as confirmed by documents on display including a commendation by King George V.
E. Rose (NLA), 26 April 2007

January 2010.
A charitable trust has been formed to plan the regeneration of the building.
See (S5) for further details,
H. White, (NLA), 9 April 2010

Monument Types

  • HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TIMBER FRAMED BUILDING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • MILITARY HOSPITAL (World War One - 1914 AD to 1918 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1995. TG 1022F - K.
---Unpublished Document: 2011. Planning Application.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Designation: English Heritage. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1076846.
<S2>Illustration: Various. Various. Architectural plans.
<S3>Unpublished Contractor Report: Smith, R. 1997. The Bircham Centre, Reepham, Norfolk. Robert Smith.
<S4>Unpublished Document: Hodge, L.. 2005. The Buildings of Reepham: an archaeological investigation of three buildings in the town of Reepham, Norfolk.. p 54.
<S5>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. Old building may get a new lease of life. 15 January.

Related records - none

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