Crowe Hall

Crowe Hall is a house at Stutton, said to have been built around 1605 for a member of the Bowes family, whose arms are carved on some panelling. The building was completely redesigned and altered around 1824–26 for George Reade by Richard Beales of Lawford, Essex. Plans for converting the house to the Gothic style, retained by the present owner, document Beales's various proposals. The house is approached from the north by a long drive through a gateway in a walled garden. The south face overlooks the River Stour.

The exterior is stuccoed with crenellated and buttressed detailing, and red plain tile roofs. The north face comprises a lower left range of two storeys with a crenellated parapet and crenellated polygonal buttresses, and an octagonal chimneystack. The taller right range rises three storeys with a roof hipped to the right and a chimneystack with four attached octagonal shafts. Both ranges are crenellated with polygonal buttresses. A plinth runs across the elevation. Windows are arranged in a 2:3:2 range of small-paned vertically sliding sashes; those to the ground floor left and ground and first floor right have labels over. A crenellated porch stands in front of the three centre bays, with a central pediment embellished by a shield of arms dated 1605. The porch features an arcade of three four-centred arches with similar arches to the returns. The inner doorway has a moulded four-centred head with two attached jamb shafts with moulded capitals and bases, flanking windows.

The south face is asymmetrical with various levels. A parapet verge to the left gable is crenellated; elsewhere a band runs beneath. Polygonal buttresses with crocketed finials ornament most angles. The left gable features four-centred heads under a square head and label, with a blocked small window of similar design in the attic. An adjacent bay to the east, two storeys high, contains similar windows on each floor. A two-storey, five-angled drawing room bay projects forward, with the first floor's central and flanking bays each holding a window of three tall trefoiled ogee lights with vertical tracery over, set under square heads with labels and decorated panels above. A small window lights the ground floor inner left bay. Below the central window is a crenellated porch with polygonal panelled angle buttresses, moulded finials, and a four-centred archway. The porch interior has a stone floor, moulded cornice, and a door with a four-centred head, dentilled and moulded lower panels, and glazing above. Set back to the east of the bay is a raised turret with a crenellated block containing two-light windows facing south, positioned in the re-entrant angle of the right wing. The first floor of the right wing has a two-light window under a square head and label, with similar French doors below.

The interior retains almost intact decoration with original furnishings, wallpapers, and chandeliers, except for the conversion of the drawing room and billiard room into a single long living room, when the former breakfast room was converted into a billiard room by adding a bow window to the west return. The panelled hall features panelled doors with moulded surrounds and a fine oval cantilevered staircase with a wreathed handrail and stick balusters, topped by an oval light. A wall alcove adjoins the stairs, and a bowed door opens to the landing. The hall has 1898 William Morris wallpaper.

Several plastered ceilings survive; two are particularly noteworthy. The principal bedroom ceiling is 17th century in high relief, said to be plaster on cork, with an oval centrepiece of swags interspersed with bearded faces, small winged angels in the outer corners, elongated figures of angels with one arm raised holding wreaths to each side, and a border of swags with a moulded cornice. Pilasters with moulded capitals and bases frame the composition. The ceiling has been attributed to the same craftsman who decorated William Sparrow's house (The Ancient House) in Ipswich.

The upper drawing room fills the entire angled bay of the south wing, with long windows opening onto the roof of the south porch. An elaborately decorated frieze and ceiling with fan tracery and pendants in the style of Henry VII's Chapel at Westminster Abbey are notable features. A fine Gothic carved wood fire surround with its original cast iron grate and rail is complemented by a Gothic surround to the panelled four-centred arched door. An original chandelier hangs from the centre ceiling pendant. Off the principal bedroom is a bathroom with Art Deco mosaics. Another bedroom has a moulded plaster ceiling and fireplace with a panelled overmantel.

The oval dining room has a moulded frieze and crockets to a barrel-vaulted ceiling, retaining its claret-coloured wallpaper and a large stone Gothic fireplace. Flanking the entrance door on either side are original mahogany sideboards fitted to the curve of the room; the table and chairs are also original. Panelled doors with moulded surrounds open from the room. The former billiard and smoking room, now separated by support columns with moulded capitals and bases, features a stone four-centred arched fireplace with Delft tiles to the fireback, panel, and arcaded overmantel with carved faces.

Crowe Hall is one of the six manors of Stutton.