Record Details
| NHER Number: | 9186 |
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| Type of record: | Building |
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| Name: | Wilby Hall |
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Summary
This magnificent brick-built 17th century hall is surrounded by an older waterfilled moat. The porch entrance is an excellent Renaissance style. However, the Hall underwent a total interior restoration in 1970 having fallen into disrepair, so many original features are not visible. To the north of the Hall are a collection of farm buildings including a fine example of a 17th century timber-framed barn. More notable are the contemporary bee-holes used to house the Hall's beehives in the colder winter months.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TM 0326 9057 |
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| Map Sheet: | TM09SW |
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| Parish: | QUIDENHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Elizabethan style house (though suggested as early 17th century - site stated to be in decay in late 16th century) within older moat. (It may be that the decay refers rather to NHER 29582). Good interior woodwork. Later additions.
Fine contemporary (?) barn.
For full details (S1, S2, S3 and S4), photos (S5 and S6) and newspaper cutting (S7) see secondary file.
E. Rose (NLA).
One of the outbuildings at Wilby Hall contains a rare surviving example of a winter bee house, into which straw hives known as skeps would have been transferred during the colder, winter months. As noted in newpaper article (S7) this bee house was first identified by the International Bee Research Association, being one of only five Norfolk sites added to their 'Bee Boles Register' between 1952 and 1999 - see published article (S8) for full list. The present, online version of the register (S9) records the structure as comprising 14 alcoves in the three stacked rows, with four larger alcoves beneath being either for skeps or hens/geese. It is noted that these structures were a later addition to the outbuilding.
P. Watkins (HES), 20 May 2025.
Monument Types
- MANOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- AVIARY (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- BARN (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)
- WINTER BEE HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Finds
- WALL PAINTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Protected Status
Sources and further reading
| --- | Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TM 09 SW 15 [2]. |
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| --- | Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Post-Medieval. Quidenham. |
| <S1> | Article in Serial: Cozens-Hardy, B. 1961. Some Norfolk Halls. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXXII pp 163-208. p 207. |
| <S2> | Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 781. |
| <S3> | Article in Serial: Rushen, J.. June-July 19. Bee Boles.. Period Home. |
| <S4> | Article in Serial: Rushen, J.. June-July 19. [unknown]. Period Home. Vol IV, no I, p 19. |
| <S5> | Aerial Photograph: TM0390A-E. |
| <S6> | Photograph: BNN12. |
| <S7> | Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1989. Protection for bees from the winter chill. 19 June. |
| <S8> | Article in Serial: Walker, P. and Crane, E. 2000. The history of beekeeping in English gardens. Garden History. Vol 28(2) pp 231-261. p 257. |
| <S9> | Website: Eva Crane Trust. Bee Boles Register. https://www.evacranetrust.org/en/page/bee-boles-register. 19 May 2025. Registration Number 0859. |
Related records - none
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