Wortham House

TM 07 NE WORTHAM RECTORY ROAD (NORTH SIDE)

1/175 Wortham House (formerly 29.7.55 listed as The Rectory )

GV II

Large house, former Rectory. C16, extended C17; extended raised and altered 1827-8 for Rev. R. Cobbold. Timber frame, plastered. Extended in white brick. Shallow pitched glazed pantiled roofs with some slates. 3 bay core with early 2 bay additions to left and to rear; 5 bay cross range added to right with further alterations to form a T on plan. All 2 storeys. Entrance front, originally jettied core has a central entrance through a C19 lean-to conservatory, a 4 panelled door with framing pilasters, slate roofing over passage to inner entrance, French windows to left. First floor architraved small sashes and a 2-light casement, simple cornice to raised roof with a hip to left, separate ridge in front of slightly taller main roof. Central axial ridge stack, C16 base, raised in C19, to right C19 sky light. Set back slightly to left are 2 bays with a disused entrance, C19 glazing bar casements, a rebuilt early stack in front roof slope, left gable end 1 storey lean-to outshut, servants' bell. To right 1828 block has 5 bay garden front, slightly projecting centre bay with broad pilaster strips at all angles, ground floor tall 6:9 pane sashes with gauged brick flat arched heads, first floor 12 pane sashes, timber cornice, caped parapet, hipped roof, stacks to rear in outer bays, left return to entrance front has a blocked first floor window. Rear elevation of early range: earlier bays to centre, a 6 raised panelled door with a traceried rectangular fanlight, early C19 doorcase with a hood, to left an external C19 stack with offsets, mixed fenestration, box dormers, a break in eaves line to later colourwashed brick section to right with an internal stack. Interior: in early bay to left quirked wave moulded axial binding beam and joists, to right inserted early C19 open well staircase, slat balusters, moulded wreathed handrail, segmental vaulted ceiling; in C17 bays a small early C18 dogleg staircase with vase valusters, first floor reverse curved brace in walling, stop chamfered axial binding beam, early sections reroofed, C19 plaster cornices in later block. Rev. R Cobbold, Rector from 1824-77, wrote many stories of Suffolk including an account of Wortham in 1860 with watercolours of buildings in the parish. (ed. R Fletcher, The Biography of a Victorian Village: Richard Cobbold's account of Wortham, Suffolk, 1860, 1977).

Listing NGR: TM0880378661