Little Wenham Castle

Little Wenham Castle

Fortified house, now used as a private museum, sometimes known as Little Wenham Hall. Believed to date from circa 1260–1290, built for Sir John de Vallibus and Petronilla of Nerford, who succeeded him around 1287. The building has undergone significant alterations over the centuries. John Brewse made changes circa 1569, as recorded by a date plaque above a ground floor doorway on the west wall. A wing was added at the south west corner, believed to be during the 16th century, which has since been destroyed. Brothers Frederick and George Crisp purchased the property around 1884 and carried out repairs and restorations during the 19th and 20th centuries. Timber stairs to the first floor west doorway were added in the 20th century by Major A T C Binny.

The building is constructed of early variegated brick with a base of flint, brick and septaria. Stone dressings are used throughout. The west wall chimney stack, which rises above the first floor level, is of 16th century brick with an offset, octagonal shaft. 19th century red brick and ashlar repairs are visible. A band continues through the building below the first floor window cills, except at the south west corner. Brick crenellation with moulded coping runs throughout.

The plan is L-shaped, with the hall running north to south and a stepped angle buttress on all corners except the south west. The chapel range projects eastward at the north end of the east wall and has stepped angle buttresses to the north and eastern angles. A stair turret at the re-entrant angle on the east wall rises above the main ranges. A low level buttress is set to the east wall of the hall below the window. Each face of each range has stone arrow slits below the crenellations.

The chapel range features narrow stone lights with square heads to the stair turret. The second floor, believed to be a solar or guardroom, has a window to each external wall of 2 lights with central shafts having moulded capitals and bases, plate tracery above, 2-centred heads and labels. The first floor chapel has an east window of 3 lights with 3 quatrefoils over, a moulded 2-centred head and label, small lancet windows to north and south walls, and a low side window in the north west corner. The ground floor chapel range has lancets to the 3 external walls.

The hall range, on the first floor, has windows on each face of 2 trefoiled lights with centre shafts having moulded capitals and bases, trefoils or quatrefoils over, 2-centred heads and labels. A doorway with a chamfered segmental head lies to the west of the south wall. The main entrance doorway at the south end of the west wall has a moulded 4-centred arch with a square head, sunk spandrels, and jambs with attached shafts, moulded capitals and bases. The ground floor hall range has 2 lancet windows to the west wall and a 2-centred arched doorway to the west end of the south wall. An inserted doorway with a square head is positioned at the south end of the west wall. Above this is a plaque inscribed "Cecy fait a l'aide de Dieu l'an de grace 1569 R.B.", which was preserved when the added wing was demolished in the late 18th century.

Interior

The ground floor of the main range consists of 3 hollow-chamfered rib-vaulted bays with polygonal responds having moulded capitals and bases. A 2-centred arched doorway with a label and moulded capitals and bases to the jambs leads from the north east corner into the square ground floor room of the chapel range. This room has one bay with similar vaulting and a stone flag floor. A chamfered 2-centred arch opens to the stair turret doorway.

The first floor hall is approximately 40 feet long. A 16th century timber ceiling of 4 cambered bays has moulded bridging and ceiling joists with a moulded cornice. The floor is laid with pammet tiles. Chamfered arches to window splays have labels above. A window seat with moulded sides is cut into the centre of each window cill. A niche to the east of the south wall has a moulded and crenellated head with a cusped and sub-cusped ogee arch, trefoiled panels above, moulded bases to side shafts, and a plain cill with a rear drain hole. A fireplace on the west wall has a red brick back angled inward, with a timber mantel beam with moulded soffit and moulded jambs.

The chapel is accessed by a fine entry to the north of the east wall. The central doorway is flanked by 2-light windows. The doorway has a 2-centred arch of 2 sunk chamfered orders with moulded capitals and splayed stops to the jambs, and a moulded label with carved stops. Each side light is sunk chamfered with 2 two-centred lights, central polygonal shafts with moulded capitals and bases, and blank quatrefoils above. Moulded labels with stops crown the side lights. Segmental rear arches are present to the doorway and sidelights. Each side light is fitted with a shutter of two strap hinges opening into the chapel. A pair of panelled doors hangs from the doorway.

The vaulted chapel ceiling has moulded arches and ribs on corbels. The 2 western corbels are moulded; the 2 eastern corbels are carved with head stops and foliage. A carved central boss depicts St Petronilla. The south wall low cill lancet forms a sedile. The piscina, set into the eastern splay, has 2 double arches, moulded, with trefoiled 2-centred heads, moulded capitals and bases to side and central shafts. The floor is laid with stone flags. Flanking the east window are small shelves. North east of the north wall is an aumbry with a 2-centred head and label with carved stops, fitted with a pair of 19th or 20th century doors with strap hinges. A 20th century altar stands in front of the east window. A chamfered 2-centred arched doorway to the west of the south wall provides access to the stair turret.

The solar or guardroom above the chapel is accessed by spiral stairs. Each doorway off the stair turret is similar to the chapel doorway, fitted with board doors and strap hinges. The solar has no outstanding features, with a ceiling of flat section beams and stop-chamfered principals. The spiral stairs continue onto the cambered, lead-covered roof.

Historical context

This building is of great importance as it represents one of the earliest uses of home-made brick in England and was built as a house rather than a keep. The hall later came to the Holbrooks and Debenhams families. A daughter of the latter family married Sir Thomas de Brewse around 1440. John Brewse sold the property to Joseph Thurston around 1695, and Thomas Thurston parted with the estate in 1765. Sir Peyton Ventris was born here in 1645.