Thorpe Hall

Thorpe Hall is a Grade I listed building located in Longthorpe, built between 1653 and 1656 by Peter Mills for Lord Chief Justice Oliver St John. It currently functions as a hospital, a role it has held since August 1970. The hall is three storeys tall, with attics and a basement, and features a symmetrical design constructed from ashlar stone with rusticated quoins. The north and south elevations are identical, each featuring three dormers with casement windows under pediments, the central dormer being semi-circular. The stone slate roof has an overhang supported by modillions.

The façade includes seven windows with plain stone surrounds on the top and ground floors. A porch with Tuscan columns supports a balcony, which features a window on the first floor with a segmental pediment and shouldered architrave. The second and sixth bay windows have pediments, while the other windows are adorned with a frieze and moulded cornice. A band runs at the height of the first floor, and there is a flight of eight steps with a balustrade that supports two urns.

Inside, the hall retains most of its original features, except for the library panelling, which has been moved to Leeds Castle. The principal rooms boast richly decorated fireplaces and plaster ceilings designed by Peter Mills. The principal staircase is notable for its heavily carved foliated open panels along the broad balustrade. A stone screen on the landing was added in 1850 by Francis Riddle of Peterborough. Thorpe Hall and its ancillary buildings form a cohesive group.