Heydon Hall

Heydon Hall is a country house built between 1581 and 1584 for Henry Dynne, an Auditor of the Exchequer. It has undergone considerable 19th-century repair and detailing, with some re-working of the interior. The house is constructed of red brick with stuccoed dressings, and has steeply pitched plain tiled roofs. It is of 2½ and 3 storeys, double pile, arranged around an 'E' plan to the south.

The principal facade faces south with five bays, extending from an E-plan with three gabled three-storey projections. A central porch features polygonal angle-shafts and octagonal finials. The outer projections also have finials set on panelled corbels, and windows in the outer bays are set in recesses with moulded brick architraves. The windows are generally of 4 and 5-lights, with stuccoed brick hollow-chamfer mullions and transoms, and pediments over the ground floor and first floor windows. Bays 2 and 4 feature pierced eaves parapets, with glazed openings to create attic lights. The porch entrance has a restored 4-centred arch with decorated spandrels and a frieze bearing three panels of arms above. A double-leaf panelled door, with eight panels per leaf, is flanked by a blind panelled fanlight. Octagonal chimney shafts are present on the east and west sides of the porch. Two large chimney stacks rise behind the ridge line, each with five octagonal shafts, moulded and linked tops. Polygonal angle shafts have tall finials. Roll-moulded copings define the gable parapets.

To the west, there are two-storey square bays with a brick and pierced stone parapet featuring seated lions. A taller three-storey parapeted projection sits between these bays, with a stuccoed door surround at ground level, incorporating decorated spandrels, a keyed semicircular arch, and a framed panel of arms above. The north front is symmetrical, of three storeys, with a blind attic storey in bays. A strapwork cresting with obelisk-finials tops the slightly advanced centre bay, with a panel of arms positioned below. A central semicircular-headed double door, with four panels of leaded glazing, has a stone door surround with blocked pilasters on plinths, strapwork in the spandrels, and an elaborate keystone to the arch and entablature. A tall stair window of five lights, with two transoms and leaded glazing incorporating some stained glass, is also present. There’s a 5-light second-floor window. Outer bays are occupied by full-height canted bows with blind attic windows in the parapets. Mullion and transom windows have been much restored, with pediments over ground floor and second floor windows. String courses are visible at first floor window level. Double-stepped castellated parapets are topped with tall polygonal finials and feature an arcaded balustrade between bays. A central cupola with an ogee lead-covered dome sits behind the centre bay, flanked by two chimney stacks each with four octagonal linked shafts.

The interior includes a good staircase with rectangular-section carved balusters, a large 17th-century fireplace in the hall with a 4-centred arch and decorated spandrels, and a Drawing Room dating from around 1740. The interior has not been fully inspected.