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Record Details

NHER Number:5115
Type of record:Monument
Name:Blickling Hall and formal gardens

Summary

One of the most important Jacobean houses in England, Blickling Hall was built in the early 17th century by Robert Lyminge, within a medieval moat, on the site of a medieval hall. The Hall was built on a double courtyard plan, of red brick, with ogee domes. The interior of the Hall has elaborate fireplaces and plaster ceilings, and formal gardens originally laid out in the early 17th century, with 18th century garden buildings, including a temple and an orangery.

Images

  • Blickling Hall , an important Jacobean mansion © © NTPL/Leo Mason
  • The front of Blickling Hall. © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service
  • The orangery at Blickling Hall. © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service
  • The side of Blickling Hall. © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service
  • A sphinx in the gardens of Blickling Hall. © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service
  • A statue in Blickling Hall gardens. © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service
  • Blickling Hall temple. © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service
  • An urn in the gardens of Blickling Hall. © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service
  • A view of Blickling Hall © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service

Location

Grid Reference:TG 1800 2858
Map Sheet:TG12NE
Parish:BLICKLING, BROADLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

Blickling Hall, one of the most important Jacobean houses in England.
Present building replaced a medieval house, built in 1390s, with 16th century additions.
Built 1616 to 1627, inside medieval moat, for Sir Henry Hobart, and designed by Robert Lyminge, the architect of Hatfield House.
Altered 1765 to 1785 by Thomas and William Ivory of Norwich.
Red brick with stone dressings, 4 storeys, originally a double courtyard plan.
Strapwork decoration above windows.
Doorway in south façade with elaborate entrance and 3 sotrey lantern turret.
Elaborate chimney pieces and plaster ceilings in interior, stained glass window in Hall from 16th or 17th century.
Reset medieval fireplaces, etc.

Formal gardens to east, of various dates.
Probably contemporary with the building of the house in the early 17th century.
Tuscan temple 1730.
Orangery 1795.
A statue of Hercules, and a fountain are 16th or 17th century, and are from Oxnead Hall.
NAU air photography shows a cropmark of a formal garden of about 1900.
See (S1) and (S2).
S. Spooner (NLA), August 2005

1951. Bronze Age macehead found.
1987. Medieval tiles found.
See details in file.
E. Rose (NAU).

1970s or 1980s. Norwich Survey.
See (S3) for moulding details.
T.E. Miller (NLA), 4 January 2006.

Unique sewerage system of 1890 which draws stream through cellars, see NIAS survey of sewage works on fiche.

(S4) describes a rare survival of a 'punishment' room for servants on the roof of the house, with original graffiti.

2007.
Conservation work following flooding in 2002 led to the rediscovery of a 19th-century arts-and-crafts style ceiling.
See (S5) for further details,
H. White, (NLA), 29 January 2010

2008
The extensive gardens at Blickling Hall will be included in a national survey of all plants in the grounds of National Trust properties in order to aid management.
See (S6) for further details.
H. Hamilton (NLA), 27 May 2008.

September 2008.
An extensive review of the estate was carried out, to assess the condition of and recommend future conservation works to the whole estate landscape.
See (S7) for further information
H. White (NLA), 4 February 2009

March 2009.
Previously unknown eighteenth century drainage culvert discovered.
See (S8)
H. White (NLA), 4 March 2009

July 2009.
Mortlake tapestries restored and rehung in the Upper Ante Room.
See (S9) for further details
H. White (NLA), 8 July 2009

December 2009.
Human tooth discovered in the attic.
See (S10) for further details,
H. White (NLA), 29 January 2010.

January 2010.
The main staircase and the Brown staircase have been tested in advance of repair work.
See (S11) for details.
H. White (NLA), 25 March 2010.

For further information about the Boleyns at Blicking, see (S12).
A. Cattermole (HES), 20 July 2011.

Restoration of the ornate chest from Blickling Hall has been found to be over 400 years older the previously thought and has been reported to have been brought back from Italy probably in 1861.
See (S13) for further information.
M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 15 February 2013.

During World War Two the house was requisitioned and served as the Officers Mess of nearby RAF Oulton (NHER 7364).
D. Gurney (HES), 08 March 2013.

Monument Types

  • MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • GARDEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • GREAT HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • OFFICERS MESS (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Finds

  • TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Protected Status

  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1994. TG1728 A-Z,AC-ABU; TG1828 A - D.
---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1994. TG1828/E, H; TG1728/ACG, ACH.
---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1993. TG 1728ACB - ACE.
---Drawing: Various. Various. Architectural plans.
---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1995. TG 1828P - S; TG 1728ABZ, ACA.
---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1995. TG 1728ACJ - ACL; TG 1828J - K, M- N.
---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. TG 1828Y - Z.
---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. TG 1828T - X; TG 1728ACP.
---Unpublished Document: 2011. Planning Application.
---Unpublished Document: Maddison, Dr.. 1995. Guide to Blickling Estate..
---Unpublished Document: Maddison, Dr.. 1989. Guide to Blickling Estate.
---Photograph: Unknown. [unknown].
---Photograph: 1991. Unknown photograph.
---Photograph: 1970. Unknown Photograph, March 9.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1976. Star of the East. 1 September.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1988. Expansion plans for two halls. 8 December.
---Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1989. Jacobean jewel. 19 July.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1975-1999. [Work undertaken to repair, restore and maintain parts Blickling Hall].
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1990. [Photograph of Blickling Hall]. 23 October.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1993. Country house splendour. 2 October.
---Newspaper Article: 1994. Eastern Daily Press. 5 December.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1995. Jacobean hall is a place of beauty both inside and out. 10 January.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1995. Glorious window back where it belongs. 10 March.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2001. Clean-up under way after flooding hits Blickling Hall. 27 September.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2002. Water damage blow for historic hall. 17 July.
---Unpublished Report: Wade-Martins, P. and Griffiths, E. 1987. The Archaeology and Historic Landscape Features of the Blickling Estate.
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 12 NE 4.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1994. Should church glass return?. 17 December.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2009. [Articles on volunteer work to re-create a 1930-style garden at Blickling Hall].
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2009. Record-breaking year for National Trust properties. 10 November.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2009. A taste of Christmas past. 14 December.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 100 years of history down the pan.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. New life blossoms in the 'Wilderness' at Blicking. 5 March.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. Make your vote count. 30 September.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. Norfolk's spooky past. 27 October.
---Article in Serial: 1905. Blickling Hall, Norfolk.. Country Life. 9 December, p1.
---Article in Serial: 1930. Blickling Hall - II.. Country Life. 21 June, p2.
---Article in Serial: 1922. The Stairway - Blickling.. Country Life. 7 January, p1.
---Article in Serial: 1944. Photograph Blickling Hall.. Country Life. 23 June, p1.
---Article in Serial: James Lees-Milne. 1955. Blicking Hall.. Country Life. p15.
---Article in Serial: 1898. Blickling Norfolk.. Country Life. 29 January, p 4.
---Article in Serial: 1910. The Gardens at Blickling, Norfolk.. Country Life. 7 May, P1.
---Article in Serial: 1922. A formal arrangement of Yew hedges at Blickling.. Country Life. 18 February, P1.
---Article in Serial: 1930. Blickling Hall - I. Norfolk.. Country Life. 7 June, p8.
---Article in Serial: Major, C. S. Jarvis. 1941. A Countryman's notes.. Country Life. 15 February, p1.
---Article in Serial: 1941. Lord Lothian bequeathes Blickling to the National Trust.. Country Life. 22 February, p2.
---Article in Serial: John Cornforth. 1988. Blickling Hall, Norfolk - III.. Country Life. 31 March, p3.
---Article in Serial: 1941. A revival of rural crafts.. Country Life. 22 Februarary, p1.
---Article in Serial: 1950. Blickling Hall, Norfolk.. Country Life.. 23 June, p1.
---Article in Serial: 1960. Massive planting of Azaleads and Yew framing a classical temple at Blickling, Norfolk.. Country Life. 18 February, p1.
---Article in Serial: 1967. The Lake at Blickling Hall in Norfolk.. Country Llife. 2 March, p1.
---Publication: Willins, E.P. (ed. By Thos. Garratt). 1890. Some Old Halls and Manor Houses in the County of Norfolk.. Pl 13.
---Article in Serial: Airs, M. 1980. Blickling Hall. The Archaeological Journal. Vol 137 pp 336-341.
---Article in Serial: Sutcliffe, J. H. F. H. 1970. A Statue of Diana at Blickling. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXXV Pt I pp 144-145.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Slide: Various. Slide.
---Fiche: Exists.
---Photograph: BDF16-17, CBH28.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2013. New champion for region's treasured heritage sites. 18 May.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N. 1962. North-East Norfolk and Norwich. The Buildings of England. 1st Edition. pp 96-99; Pl 49b, Pl 52, Pl 53, Pl 54.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2012. Cleaning a historic view pane by pane. 25 April.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2015. Heating for historic hall will come from its lake. 6 November.
<S1>Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 400-407; Pl 65, Pl 66; Pl 67; Pl 68; Pl 73.
<S2>Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1171933.
<S3>Unpublished Document: Carter, A.. Building Survey.
<S4>Newspaper Article: The Times Saturday Review. 1990. Secrets beyond the green baize door. 24 November.
<S5>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2007. Flood led to rediscovery of hall's hidden treasure. 20 February.
<S6>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2008. Gearing up fro the great plant survey. 13 May.
<S7>Unpublished Contractor Report: Penn, K. 2008. Blickling Estate, An Archaeological and Historical Landscape Survey. NAU Archaeology. 1399.
<S8>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2009. Historic drains get cleaned out. 4 March.
<S9>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2009. Ancient Blickling tapestries back to their former glory. 8 July.
<S10>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2009. Gnash in the attic? Better blame it on the Jaco-bites. 29 December.
<S11>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. Experts give Blickling's staircase the sandbag test. 28 January.
<S12>Article in Serial: Griffiths, E.. 2009. The Boleyns at Blickling, 1450-1560.. Norfolk Archaeology. XLV, part IV, pp 453-68.
<S13>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2013. Wedding chest's secrets revealed. 5 February.
<S14>Illustration: Edwards, D. A.. 1977. Sketch of Blickling Hall grounds.. Film.

Related records

30433Parent of: Blickling Park (Designed Landscape)
46088Parent of: Terrace walls and steps to parterre garden, Blicking Hall (Building)
46089Part of: Pair of garden urns on east side of formal garden, Blickling Hall (Building)

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