Record Details

NHER Number:60039
Type of record:Building
Name:Hales Hall

Summary

Gatehouse range of late 15th-century date. Formerly part of the outer court of the actual Hales Hall, which lay to the west, on the site of a medieval moated hall (NHER 1053).
A dendrochronological survey undertaken in 2013 demonstrated that this range was probably originally constructed in the mid AD 1490s, around the same time as the barn to the south (NHER 60040). Much of the extant roofs and ceilings are however associated with a later phase of construction during the mid AD 1590s.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TM 3695 9607
Map Sheet:TM39NE
Parish:LODDON, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Although now known as Hales Hall this building was originally a gatehouse range that formed part of the outer court of the actual hall. The hall itself was built in the late 15th century and lay to the west, on the site of a medieval moated hall (NHER 1053). Previously recorded under NHER 1053.

September 1951. Listed Grade I.
Listing Description excerpt:
"Remains of Country house, late 15th century. Very long brick gatehouse range with blue diapering. The east end was probably originally timber framed on the first floor but later brick faced to match. Steep pantile roof with parapeted gable ends. Two storeys and attic."
Information from (S1). Noted in (S2).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
P. Watkins (HES), 8 March 2017. Amended by J. Cullis (HES), 22 January 2020.

1978. Field Observation.
Site visited by E. Rose.
Main two-storey north range containing the gatehouse has diaper brickwork, with many blocked windows to south, one brick-mullioned one surviving. The gatehouse has two interior recesses and a timber-framed portion above on south side. At west end single storey extension is later, because the diaperwork and blocked windows of the gable are visible inside, but its brickwork is identical and it cannot be more than 30 years later. Interior of this range has original timbering and hearthstone. Ornamented chimneys.
Information from file notes for NHER 1053 (S3). Also see photograph (S4).
P. Watkins (HES), 8 March 2017. Amended by A. Beckham (HES), 6 January 2020.

2013. Dendrochronological Survey.
Analysis of core samples taken from various timbers within the hall gatehouse range, barn (NHER 60040) and bothy (NHER 60041) at Hales Hall.
Interpretation of the 74 dated samples suggests that the original hall range and the barn were both probably constructed in the AD 1490s, although it also incorporates a few possibly slightly earlier timbers. The extant roofs of the east and middle sections of the hall range and the east end ground- and first-floor ceilings date to the mid AD 1590s, although these also incorporate a few potentially slightly earlier timbers. These elements therefore appear to be broadly contemporary with the bothy, the original part of which was also found to date to the mid AD 1590s.
See report (S5) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 22 August 2019.

Monument Types

  • GATEHOUSE (Medieval to 21st Century - 1467 AD? to 2100 AD)
  • TIMBER FRAMED BUILDING (Medieval to 21st Century - 1467 AD? to 2100 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1988. [Articles on the statue stolen from Hales Hall].
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1986. Open to public. 31 March.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2011. A hall and England's biggest brick built Tudor barn too…. 11 March.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2011. For sale: Grade I listed hall with royal connection. 11 March.
---Designation: NCM Staff. 1950?-1960?. Data submitted with sheduling request. NHER 60039.
<S1>Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1169558.
<S2>Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 376-378.
<S3>Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service. NHER 1053.
<S4>Photograph: Green, B. 1960. Photograph of the late 15th-century gatehouse range of Hales Hall, NHER 60039. Digital. jpeg. M1368.
<S5>Monograph: Arnold, A. and Howard, R. 2014. Hales Hall, Litchmere Lane, Loddon, Norfolk. Tree-ring Analysis of Timbers from the Hall Range, Barn and Bothy: Scientific Dating Report. English Heritage Research Report Series. 58-2014.

Related records

1053Part of: Site of Hales Hall (Monument)
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