Newbourne Hall

Manor House. Dating to the early 16th and early 17th centuries, with later alterations and 20th-century restoration. The building is constructed partly of timber framing and plaster, and partly of red brick. It is essentially a ‘T’ shaped building, with a 16th-century north-south range and an early 17th-century range extended to the north, linked at right angles to a 16th-century east-west wing by a tall stair wing. All wings have plain tiled roofs, except for a flat roof on 19th-century additions on the west side.

The 16th-century north-south wing has a timber-framed upper storey with exposed studs and jetties on the south and east sides, and brick to the ground floor, which incorporates a corner post with a carved spandrel. The frame is arranged in three bays with a two-cell plan and a cross-entry layout with a single room beyond. The 17th-century wing has cement stucco jambs, drip moulds, mullions, transoms, and restored leaded lights to its windows. A north crow-stepped gable with pinnacles in moulded brick is a feature of this wing. The west wall has a six-course band of ashlar at first-floor level and two external chimney stacks.

The 16th-century north-south wing has a brick porch with a crow-stepped gable, moulded brick pinnacles, a two-centred pointed arch brick opening, and a moulded boarded entrance door. The 17th-century range has an outshut entrance hall with three windows, sash windows in recessed frames, and an entrance doorway with a pointed brick arch, partly glazed panelled door with a fanlight. A single original mullion window is present on the west wall of the 16th-century wing.

Inside, decorative plaster ceilings are found, including one in the main room enriched with the arms of the Purpett family, as well as plaster-moulded beams. This room once had timber panelling in the classical manner, with a remaining fluted frieze, mutule cornice and part of an Ionic pilaster. The staircase hall ceiling has wavy ribs with rose and lily sprigs. Both 16th-century wings originally had crown post roofs; the east-west wing’s roof was altered later, with the removal of original tie beams and the cut-down crown posts supported on raised collars. The roof was renewed in the 20th century in the altered form. The subdivided hall in the 16th-century north-south wing retains finely moulded beams and joists. Only the top flight of the stair retains its original balustrade.