Felbrigg Hall

Felbrigg Hall is a large house of exceptional architectural importance, built in three major phases reflecting changing tastes and ownership over more than a century.

The earliest range dates to circa 1621–24 and was probably designed by Robert Lyminge for Thomas Windham. This comprises the south front, rendered brick and flint with stone dressings, displaying seven bays over two storeys and an attic. The principal elevation is particularly distinguished. Stone mullioned and transomed windows with leaded glazing and ovolo mouldings rise across the bays; ground floor windows have two transoms, while bays 1 and 7 feature canted 6-light windows and bays 2, 3, 5 and 6 have 3-light windows. A central square projecting bay contains a rusticated archway flanked by free-standing Doric columns on plinths adorned with strapwork. The entablature breaks out over these columns and is surmounted by the arms of Thomas Windham and his wife, together with those of his father Sir John Wyndham and his wife, with a 3-light mullioned window above. An entablature with guttae, triglyphs and rosettes rises above the ground floor windows, with modillions supporting the cornice over the upper windows. The parapet of the projecting bays bears the inscription GLORIA DEO IN EXCELSIS in pierced stone and is surmounted by heraldic beasts. A small dormer stands behind the porch; dormers formerly lit a long gallery which was converted to bedrooms in the 18th century. Shaped gables punctuate the roofline. Three stacks rise from the rear wall, each with three polygonal shafts and star tops, now enclosed by later building. The gable-ends are canted, with the eastern gable featuring a 19th-century casement under a hood-mould to the ground floor and a 17th-century mullioned and transomed window with Gothick glazing bars to the first floor. The western gable retains 17th-century fenestration with blank lower panels at an angle on the ground floor. Three-light attic dormers sit under hood-moulds.

The west façade was added circa 1685, probably by William Samwell for William Windham, and comprises eight bays over two storeys and an attic. A brick plinth supports the elevation, which is finished with rusticated brick quoins. The central two bays break forward slightly, also with rusticated quoins. Sash windows with glazing bars, set in moulded brick reveals with flat rubbed brick arches, predominate; the openings to the first and second bays are blind. A contemporary drawing shows that cross-casements were originally intended; some present sashes retain thick glazing bars whilst others are thinner, suggesting gradual replacement and alteration over time. Doors to the second and seventh bays have black lower panels with upper parts corresponding to the sash windows above, each with a moulded brick eared architrave and brick segmental pediment cutting the platband. First-floor windows to these bays feature moulded brick surrounds. A heavily moulded timber eaves modillion cornice crowns the range, and the hipped roof is punctuated by six attic sashes under moulded timber pediments. Two stacks to the rear bear the initials WW in tie-irons. To the north gable a two-storey canted bay was added circa 1750, copying the moulded window surrounds and heavy cornice of the 1685 work.

Circa 1750, James Paine undertook further works for William Windham II. A parallel range was added behind the 17th-century house, with a shaped gable to the east and heavy timber cornice, creating a double-pile plan. To the north gable the aforementioned canted bay was constructed in 1750. A further single-storey addition was made to the north in 1823. A two-storey outshut with platband and brick dentil cornice was added to the rear of the west wing in the 18th century, containing corridors to ground and first floors.

The roof is slate and glazed black pantile throughout.

The interior is of considerable refinement and scholarly interest. A rib-vaulted porch opens to the south front, containing a stone door surround reproducing the original (moved to the walled garden in 1842), with double leaved doors whose lower panels are blank and upper panels decorated with Gothick ogee glazing bars. The original cross-passage now serves as an entrance hall; the screen has been replaced with a solid wall. Opposite the entrance door stands a stone doorway, now blocked, with shields in the spandrels.

The Hall was substantially refurbished circa 1840, probably by J. C. and G. Buckler in Jacobean style. Oak overdoors with strapwork and finials were introduced, along with a stone chimneypiece featuring a heavy strapwork overmantle containing 17th-century Windham arms. Drop finials ornament the ceiling plasterwork. Stained glass brought to the house circa 1840 includes five panels of 15th-century glass from St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich; two 15th-century French figures of angels; and early 17th-century Swiss glass.

The dining room was formed by Paine when Samwell's stair was removed. It contains a plaster chimneypiece with scrolled eared architrave, lions' head and paws to the entablature. The plasterers were Joseph Rose the elder and George Green. Flanking overdoors feature acanthus moulding with moulded eared architraves; the doors themselves have six raised and fielded panels with beaded muntins. Principal doors bear acorns and oak leaves to overdoors with ribbons, supported by consoles beneath an egg and dart cornice. Panels contain Rococo plasterwork threaded with chain. Eight sconces have plasterwork surrounds with garlands of ribbons and fruit. The ceiling cornice displays egg and dart moulding and dentils, with the four seasons depicted in corner panels and an oval centre panel featuring spears, drums, hunting horns, and an eagle with outspread wings whose talons were intended to hold a chandelier chain.

The drawing room features a white marble fireplace with Roman Ionic Siena marble columns and frieze. Door cases by Paine incorporate overdoors with drapery, fruit and ribbons, and surrounds with egg and dart moulding. The cornice displays palmettes; doors, dado and shutters are also by Paine. A plaster ceiling dated 1687 bears the initials WW in another panel, probably by plasterer Edward Goudge. The border to the central panel includes roses, pomegranates, pears, and grapes, whilst corner panels feature moulded figures of birds.

The cabinet was remodelled circa 1750, when its two western windows were blocked and a canted bay added to the north. Window shutters display octagonal moulded panels; the dado and door surround are also by Paine. The chimneypiece is of white marble with consoles and a fluted fascia dated 1824. A dentilled coved cornice with garlands of flowers and the Windham arms crowns the 1750 plasterwork, again by Paine's plasterers Rose and Green. The main ceiling displays panels of fruit and flowers from 1685 by Goudge, with an added Rococo centrepiece; plasterwork continues into the added bay in 17th-century style.

The main staircase of circa 1750 by Paine is an open-well design with open string and moulded tread. S-shaped wrought iron balusters support a ramped mahogany handrail. The upper landing features moulded plaster panels and moulded door surrounds, with a ceiling cornice displaying modillions and a skylight of circa 1930.

The library was designed by Paine in Gothick style, with clustered shafts to the corners of bookcases rising to pinnacles and trefoils to the cornice. A geometrical 'Jacobean' ceiling was removed in 1923, though a small amount remains in the window bays. The western bay window was subsequently blocked in 1787 and lined with bookcases by Matthew Brettingham in style matching Paine's work. A marble bolection-moulded fireplace was brought to the library from the cabinet in 1752.

The cellars include a medieval undercroft of six bays with transverse four-centred arch brick ribs and evidence of a brick stair to the house.