Westhorpe Hall

Westhorpe Hall

House, originally built as part of offices to an earlier Hall, now an old people's home. The building combines late 16th and early 17th century timber frame and plastered ranges with an early 18th century English bond red brick main block, remodelled in the late 18th century, all substantially altered in the 20th century. Built for the Edmonds and Barrow families.

The roofs are plain tiled and machine tiled, steeply pitched on the early range. The main block is 2 storeys and attic, perhaps originally taller, arranged on a 3 cell lobby entry plan. The entrance to the left of centre has 20th century doors above a reused 16th century stone pediment, cyma moulded with a Tudor rose, with a terracotta panel below bearing the arms of C. Brandon flanked by eagles. Windows are 20th century 2 and 3-light casements, with ground floor examples having segmental heads. The block features a plinth, plat band, and timber wall plate to sprocket eaves. Three gabled dormers with bargeboards and 3-light openings pierce the roof, with a ridge stack to the left of centre. To the rear, a catslide roof covers an early lean-to outshut from the right or service end, while to the left stands a 19th century pantiled lean-to outshut. Attached to the right end of the 18th century block is a low 20th century link to the earlier range at right angles towards the rear, forming an L-shaped plan overall.

The earlier timber-framed range comprises 3 bays with 4 bays added to the rear in the 17th century, standing 2 storeys and attic. The front gable end has an early external stack with a rebuilt cap, an oven lean-to to the left and a later lean-to to the front, with 20th century casements. The right return displays scattered casements and early brick footings descending into the moat, with a 19th century inserted ridge stack towards the rear. The 17th century addition to the rear contains a 4-light diamond mullioned window on the first floor; two rear bays of this section were reduced to 1 storey in the 19th century.

Interior: The altered 18th century block contains ogee stop chamfered cross axial binding beams and joists. To the rear right is an original chamfered doorway into the lean-to. The roof features collars clasping purlins with a ridge piece. The 16th century bays have altered framing on the ground floor with largely rebuilt outer wall, but retain a large 5-light diamond mullioned window opening to the front gable end. On the first floor, reverse curved arched bracing occurs in close studded walls, with large 7 and 8-light diamond mullioned window openings. The roof has lower butt purlins, upper purlins clasped by collars and halved principals, and upper arched windbraces. The 17th century bays are close studded with 4-light diamond mullioned window openings, cranked arched braces to a cambered tie beam, collars and halved principals clasping purlins, and arched windbraces.

Historical context: The existing Hall lies on the east side of a fully moated site. On the west stood the 15th and 16th century Hall, demolished around 1764. Here lived Mary Tudor (1496–1533), daughter of Henry VII, who married Louis XII of France in October 1514 and was crowned in November that year. Widowed on 1 January 1515, she returned to England and married Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. Mary died at Westhorpe in 1533. Immediately south-east of the surviving buildings are medieval flint and brick footings of an earlier Hall built for the Elmham family, with diagonal buttressing and remains of a postern bridge.