Old Palace Croydon: Great Hall

Old Palace Croydon: Great Hall

A medieval great hall forming part of the former Archbishops' Palace in Croydon. The hall was begun under Archbishop Courtenay (1381–1396) and completed by Archbishop Stafford (1443–1452). It incorporates the relics of Stafford's archiepiscopal throne. Alterations were made to the west end under Archbishop Juxon (1660–1663), and the roof structure was reinforced in 1748 under Archbishop Herring (1747–1757). The hall was adapted for industrial use in the late 18th century, and its east wall was rebuilt following collapse in 1830. The building was restored in 1891 and re-buttressed in 1913 and 1950.

Materials are flint with stone dressings, with some areas of red brick and rendering.

The plan comprises a broad, four-bay hall beneath a single-span roof, with an entrance beneath a two-storey porch at the east end of the north elevation and an opposing entrance at the east end of the south wall. A third entrance leads from within the main body of the palace in the west wall.

The north elevation is divided into four bays. Three are clad in flint on a brick base with a moulded stone coping and stone ashlar stepped buttresses. In the western bay, the jamb and arched head of two late-14th-century blocked openings are visible. Tall, mid-15th-century stone-mullioned windows at high level have three pointed lights in hollow-chamfered architraves beneath depressed arch hood moulds. The central and western windows retain some original stonework. The eastern bay is filled with a two-storey late-14th-century porch with outer angle buttresses and a plain parapet, built of masonry and rendered throughout. The rebuilt entrance has a moulded pointed arch springing from imposts, supported on moulded jambs. Above it is an eroded 18th-century stone plaque. The window to the chamber over has a simple rectangular stone architrave beneath a hood mould, with two four-centre arched lights. At upper level on the west elevation of the porch is a small pointed arched opening with a hollow-chamfered architrave. A stack heating the first-floor chamber rises on the eastern side.

The south elevation and south buttresses are mostly in flint with stone dressings. There is red brick patching in the western bay, which was repaired following removal of a 19th-century factory chimney. A segmental-headed opening with 20th-century glazed windows appears in this bay, above which is the remnant of an earlier stone arch springing from the west. The eastern bay has a heavily eroded mid-15th-century stone doorcase with moulded jambs, a pointed head and plain spandrels beneath a restored hood mould. Windows match those of the north elevation, one per bay, though much stonework has been renewed. At eaves level is a rainwater head bearing Herring's initials and the date 1748. The parapet on both north and south elevations is rebuilt in red brick.

The east elevation results from rebuilding following its collapse in 1830. The lower stage is clad in flint and divided into three bays by vertical bands of stone visible beneath the flint. The upper stage is rendered, while the gable is tile-hung in alternating bands of plain and fishscale tiles beneath a plain gable end.

The west elevation gable wall, where exposed above eaves height, is in 17th-century red-brown brick with a blocked oculus above the eaves and four diamond-set ties in the gable. The mid-15th-century west doorway within the entrance hall to the palace is recessed within the depth of the wall in a simple, likely 18th-century timber rectangular architrave with panelled linings. This face of the door has sunk panels within broad rails and muntins and has long L-hinges.

Interior

The windows appear to retain their original moulded stone rear arches and architraves, resting on a continuous enriched, moulded stone string course. At each bay, stone corbels carved with angels bearing painted armorial shields are surmounted by timber responds or half-piers with octagonal bases and moulded capitals. These support a richly moulded and complex mid-15th-century oak roof of principal rafters and arched braces describing a four-centred arch rising to equally moulded collars and side purlins. An outer framework of purlins with curved wind braces supports coupled rafters with plain, braced collars towards the apex of the roof. Pine tie beams, bearing Herring's initials and dated 1748, are framed into a heavy modillion cornice at eaves level. The angel corbels to the eastern truss are missing and have been integrated into the archbishops' throne.

The mid-15th-century west doorway has a pointed head beneath a deep, square hood mould with foliate decoration and blank shields in the spandrels. The late-14th-century north doorway has a segmental-headed rear arch; the opposing mid-15th-century south doorway has a four-centred head. In the west bay of the south wall, the internal opening to the former oriel or bay has a wide, moulded four-centre arch, corresponding to the windows at upper level. High on the west wall are three 17th-century mullion and transom windows illuminating the upper floor of the adjoining range to the west. The walls are lined in pegged oak panelling, installed or extensively restored in 1960.

Centrally placed against the west wall are the carved stone fragments of the mid-15th-century archbishops' throne. These consist of a projecting rectangular canopy carved to imitate a tasselled fringe, surmounting a crowned shield supported by flanking angels and bearing the arms of Edward the Confessor and Henry VI. These are in turn supported by an angel bearing a carved scroll inscribed 'd'ne salvum fac regem' (Lord save the king). The canopied architectural sculpture is integrated into a curved, tiered structure, possibly the capping of the throne-back, which has the armorial shield of Archbishop Stafford at its centre. This is supported by a plinth with a blank concave panel flanked by two corbels with angels holding armorial shields, which sits over a square section with a sunk-moulded front panel.

The north porch has a vaulted quadripartite stone ceiling with moulded ribs and a central foliate boss. The late-14th-century entrance from the porch into the hall has a pointed arch and continuously moulded jambs and head. The chamber above has a corner fireplace with an eroded moulded surround. Windows are set in deep reveals and have 20th-century diamond leaded lights.