Bast'S

Bast's is a substantial timber-framed house of around 1520, located on the north side of Woodbridge Road in Grundisburgh. The building represents a significant example of early 16th-century domestic architecture, with important 17th-century and 20th-century additions and alterations.

The structure comprises a double pile axial range attached to an earlier cross wing, built flush with it. The building stands three storeys and two storeys with attic space, constructed in timber frame with some brick infill, colourwashed infill and render, and plain tiles to the roof.

The garden front displays the original 1520 range at the left, featuring brick walling to the ground floor with blue brick diapering. The fenestration consists of a central window of 5 lights with upper windows of 4 lights on either side, though these may originally have extended further. The wooden frame is richly moulded, with some transoms renewed in the 20th century, a feature common across all window frames on this range. The first floor has a moulded bressumer beam, close studding, a central 5-light window and 4-light upper lateral windows, with a richly moulded bracket to the left-hand corner bearing the mark of Thomas Awall, Salter, who built the house. The second floor, also jettied, carries a further richly moulded bressumer with close-studding and angle braces, along with two 3-light 19th-century windows, beneath a hipped roof. To the right is the 17th-century range, timber framed with colourwashed render, featuring a plank door with 3-light overdoor at far left, and windows of 5, 3 and 6 lights with moulded mullions. The first floor has two 4-light windows with moulded mullions and transoms, with two 3-light windows between them. In the valley between the ridges stand a square stack with moulded cap and two circular flues with zig-zag decoration of moulded brick.

The left-hand front of circa 1520 has brickwork at ground floor level at either end, with the rest rendered and colourwashed. This elevation features a 5-light mullioned window and doorway with richly panelled door at far left, a plank door with 17th-century strap hinges at right of centre, and a 19th-century rectangular bay window at left of centre with richly moulded mullions and transoms. The jettied first floor has a richly moulded bressumer and close studding, with 4-light casements to far left and right. The second floor is again jettied with close studding. Three hipped roofs crown this elevation, though an early 19th-century drawing in the British Museum (Davy Collection) repeatedly shows the house with two gables.

The rear elevation shows the earlier wing at the right-hand end with brick walling at ground floor level and a ground floor window with chamfered brick mullions. The jettied first floor has a moulded bressumer, close studded walling with angle braces and a central 3-light window, with a heavy angle bracket bearing the mark of Thomas Awall and his crest. The second floor above is again jettied with a richly moulded bressumer and more close studding with angle braces but no windows. To the left is the 17th-century wing with a ground floor doorway, a 4-light window and 19th- or 20th-century cross-windows. The first floor has various lights including a 3-light 19th-century window, a 3-light and 2-light window at centre, and a 4-light window with moulded mullions and transom at far left. The right-hand end has 2 bays with hipped roofs above, flanked by windows of 4 lights with ovolo-moulded mullions and transom at ground and first floor levels. At ground floor left of centre is a blocked stable door.

Internally, the dining room (formerly entrance hall) has massive ceiling beams and a dragon beam, both with roll mouldings and cavetto moulds to the underside, with further cavetto moulds to the sides and roll mould to angle, with joists featuring angle-beads radiating from these beams. The sitting room has similarly moulded ceiling beams and joists, with some 17th-century panelling to the walls with moulded muntins and cross-rails and panelled doors, and a richly moulded bressumer to the fireplace with richly moulded brick surround. In the 17th-century portion, the morning room has 20th-century panelling of 17th-century pattern. The present drawing room was formed from two rooms and has planted timber including a central square post below ceiling beams supported by knee braces at wall ends. The staircase is of one flight and 19th-century wood. The first floor landing has close studding and chamfered ceiling beams, with a central pillar having chamfered corners and ogee end stops. Bedrooms in the 17th-century portion have chamfered ceiling beams and close studded walling, while the early 16th-century bedrooms have richly moulded ceiling beams, dragon beams and joists similar to those at ground floor level. The second floor attics in the early 16th-century range have a series of cross walls with angle braces and close studding, some with wattle and daub infill. The 17th-century wing features tie beams with cambered collars and wind braces.