Record Details

NHER Number:51708
Type of record:Building
Name:Nunnery Place House

Summary

Nunnery Place House is an early 17th century home constructed of re-used limestone ashlar blocks. Nearly square in plan, the main façade is two storeys with a dormer attic and is laid out in three bays. A late 20th century extension has been added to the east. The interior retains a mid 18th century timber fire surround on the first floor and early 17th century small-framed panelling in the southwest room on both the ground floor and the first floor. The house was restored between 1990 and 1991.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TL 87302 82260
Map Sheet:TL88SE
Parish:THETFORD, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

April 1951. Listed, Grade II*.
Nunnery Place House.
House. Early 17th century and later, restored 1990-91. Re-used limestone ashlar. Machine tile roofs. Nearly square in plan beneath 3 parallel roofs running east-west. Late 20th century extension to east. Main façade to south. Two storeys with dormer attic in 3 bays. Central door with three glazed vertical panels. Doorcase has two panelled pilasters with volute capitals supporting a frieze beneath a pediment. The frieze has two lozenges and the pediment a moulded circle. Fenestration of renewed 6/6 sashes, those to the ground floor under segmental heads. Hipped roof with a renewed gabled dormer. West front is irregular: 20th century casement to ground floor under a segmental head next to a doorway with an ovolo-moulded reveal. Blocked doorway left. First floor with three sashes with 8/8 or 3/3 glazing bars. Three hipped roof ranges, two with gabled dormers. four stacks at various intervals.
INTERIOR: chamfered bridging beams. One timber fire surround in ground floor of mid 18th century: foliage scrollwork, two high-relief eagles, two rabbits, two foxes and a water mill in the centre. South-west room with early 17th century small-framed panelling with central lozenges and a fluted doorcase surround. 20th century staircase. First-floor south-west room has similar small-framed panelling but without the lozenges. Roofs are 18th century replacements: staggered butt purlins.
Information from (S1).
H. Hamilton (NLA), 28 August 2008.

1987. Revised Listing by S. Heywood.
Nunnery Place House. Late 16th/early 17th century house with re-used ashlar. Square plan under 3 parallel roofs. Two storeys and attic. Three-bay façade with central Mannerist-Renaissance doorway. Irregular west front includes a blocked door and ovolo-moulded doorway. The north section has re-used Romanesque stone carving. The north façade is irregular; the east side has a 20th century extension. The interior has heavily restored panelling of c. 1600, a re-assembled fireplace, and late 18th century beams. Grade II*.
Extracted from Listing by E. Rose (NAU), 7 April 1987.

October 1988. Building Survey.
A detailed survey of the fabric of the standing buildings within the Nunnery grounds was carried out.
See note in secondary file for NHER 5892 (with references to S2) for further details.
H. Hamilton (NLA), 05 November 2008.

April 1989. Site Visit.
In the north wall of the house (NHER 51708) there are in fact two blocked windows just visible - one small and square, the other rectangular and upright, like a sash window. They are between the present ground and upper floor. This presumably shows there may be other windows carefully blocked, and that this end of the house has been raised, but the windows do not appear to be ancient. It is probable that only stripping down the interior of the building could give a satisfactory account of its development.
SEE NHER 5892 FOR FURTHER DETAILS.
E. Rose (NAU), 20 April 1989.

January 1994. Site visit.
The buildings are now the headquarters of the British Ornithological Trust. The house (NHER 51708) has been converted to offices and a link portico made to the former church (NHER 51707).
SEE NHER 5892 FOR FURTHER DETAILS.
E. Rose (NLA), 27 January 1994.

Monument Types

  • HOUSE (16th Century to 21st Century - 1600 AD to 2100 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

<S1>Designation: English Heritage. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1208030.
<S2>Illustration: Wilkinson. 1822. Illustrations of Thetford.

Related records

5892Part of: St George's Nunnery (Monument)
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