Stour

A large house, dating from the 13th century with 19th and 20th century additions and alterations. It is constructed of red brick in a Flemish bond pattern, with a slate roof. The house is three storeys high, although the upper floor may be a later addition. The garden front features full-height, three-window canted bays that flank a central three-bay section. A central, full-height Ionic doorcase with an entablature contains a glazed door, with further glazed doors to the canted bays, flanked by 15-pane sashes. The remaining windows are 12-pane sashes in reveals, with sills under cambered, gauged brick arches. A moulded band runs along the second floor, and there is a cornice. The roof is hipped. The road front has seven bays, with a later range adjoining it to the right. A central, square projecting Doric porch with double leaf doors, likely of 20th-century date, is present. This facade also has sashes with glazing bars under cambered, gauged brick arches.

The interior includes a dining room which retains wall panelling, an eared bolection-moulded fireplace, six-panel doors, and panelled shutters. A central staircase hall, originally comprising two rooms, retains some wall panelling. The remodelled staircase features a cut-string design, with three barley-sugar-on-vase balusters per tread, fluted Corinthian newels, a ramped handrail, and carved tread-ends. A panelled dado follows the line of the stair. The drawing room, originally two rooms, has some wall panelling and carved pine, eared fireplaces. On the first floor, one room is fully panelled, with two-panel doors featuring L-hinges, and several other rooms have original cornices. Originally known as West Lodge, the house was renamed Stour by Randolph Churchill, who resided here from 1954 until his death in 1968. The house is depicted in John Constable’s painting, East Bergholt Fair of 1811.