Record Details

NHER Number:10641
Type of record:Building
Name:Ditchingham Hall

Summary

A finely designed hall, originally of about 1715 and built for the Reverend John Bedingfeld. There have been later alterations and additions, but these have been careful to complement the original layout. The original house, with a seven window bay façade, looks south over a lake and an impressive cedar tree. It is two storeys high with a dormer attic and a three bay gable enclosing a shield of the Bedingfeld arms. Construction is of mauve brick with red brick dressings.
In the late 18th century, two parallel service wings were added to the east and west of the house, although the west wing was free standing. There were several other additions in the 19th and 20th centuries, and the roofs were slated in 1910.
The grounds of the hall have not changed greatly since the 18th century, and their design is attributed to Capability Brown.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TM 3204 9270
Map Sheet:TM39SW
Parish:DITCHINGHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Early 18th century with 19th and 20th century additions.
See (S1) and (S2) in file.
Newspaper cuttings (S3), (S4) and (S5) in file.
(S6) Grade I.
E. Rose (NAU), 11 February 1983.

Country house. Built in about 1715 for Reverend John Bedingfeld, extended 1910. Mauve brick with red brick dressings. Hipped slate roofs, some plain tiles on rear slopes. Two storey and attics, U-shaped plan. South façade of seven bays, the centre three slightly advanced under a pediment: sashes with glazing bars and louvred shutters. Sunken apron panels below windows. Keyed gauged brick arches over openings, the keys reflected in the moulded string course at first floor level. Central doorway with Corinthian pilasters supporting a segmental pediment with dentil ornament.
Four pedimented attic dormers. Two square panelled chimney stacks with moulded caps, symmetrically placed. West façade increased from five to nine bays in 1910.
Extract from (S6).

The site was used as a USAAF hospital during the Second World War. Important artwork of this period survives in outbuildings at the site.
Further details to come
J. Albone 28th February 2012

Monument Types

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

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: TM3292 A,B,G.
---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1995. TM3292/H - R.
---Illustration: Various. Various. Architectural plans.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, W. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 305.
---Article in Serial: Richard Haslam. 1989. Ditchingham Hall, Norfolk.. Country Life. 10 August, p3.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1985. Straw warms a stately home. 7 December.
<S1>Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 1983. Building Report.. Building Report.
<S2>Photograph: CCY 1A-7A.
<S3>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1984. Strike halts steam spring-clean. 3 May.
<S5>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1999. [Photograph of Ditchingham Hall]. 19 June.
<S6>Designation: English Heritage. National Heritage List for England.

Related records - none

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