Reasons for Designation
Fortified houses were residences belonging to some of the richest and most
powerful members of society. Their design reflects a combination of domestic
and military elements. In some instances, the fortifications may be cosmetic
additions to an otherwise conventional high status dwelling, giving a military
aspect while remaining practically indefensible. They are associated with
individuals or families of high status and their ostentatious architecture
often reflects a high level of expenditure. The nature of the fortification
varies, but can include moats, curtain walls, a gatehouse and other towers,
gunports and crenellated parapets.
Their buildings normally included a hall used as communal space for domestic
and administrative purposes, kitchens, service and storage areas. In later
houses the owners had separate private living apartments, these often
receiving particular architectural emphasis. In common with castles, some
fortified houses had outer courts beyond the main defences in which stables,
brew houses, granaries and barns were located.
Fortified houses were constructed in the medieval period, primarily between
the 15th and 16th centuries, although evidence from earlier periods, such as
the increase in the number of licences to crenellate in the reigns of Edward I
and Edward II, indicates that the origins of the class can be traced further
back. They are found primarily in several areas of lowland England: in upland
areas they are outnumbered by structures such as bastles and tower houses
which fulfilled many of the same functions. As a rare monument type, with
fewer than 200 identified examples, all examples exhibiting significant
surviving archaeological remains are considered of national importance.
The medieval tower at Dilham Hall is a good example of a high status building
of this type and displays late medieval flint masonry of high quality. With
the attached length of walling it is the only part of the fortified house
known to remain standing above ground, but gives a clear indication of the
character of the original whole. The historically documented links between Sir
Henry Inglose, the probable builder, and Sir John Fastolfe and the Paston
family give the monument additional interest.
Details
The monument, which is situated in the grounds of Dilham Hall, NNE of Dilham
village, includes a medieval tower bonded to the remains of a contemporary
wall. The wall and the tower, which is Listed Grade II, are dated to the 15th
century and thought to have formed part of the outer wall of a fortified
house, probably built by Sir Henry Inglose, Lord of the Manor, (died 1451) who
was a friend and relative of Sir John Fastolfe, the builder of Caister Castle.
It is likely that the fortified house was designed in part to serve a
practical defensive purpose, although there is no certain evidence that it was
ever attacked. Local unrest during this period and the threat of French
incursions along the coast 8.5km to the east are, however, chronicled in the
Paston Letters.
The tower, which stands to almost the full original height of two storeys with
a parapet above, faces north. In plan, it forms five sides of a regular
octagon. The attached wall from which it projects extends up to approximately
5.8m west of the tower and 3.7m to the east but has been cut down in steps so
as to form buttress-like projections. The tower and the original parts of the
wall are constructed chiefly of flint with ashlar dressings. Both stand on a
plinth of coursed flint about 1m in height with brick quoins at the angles of
the tower and a chamfered stone offset. Above the offset they are faced with
closely set knapped flint and galetting (flint chips embedded in mortar), with
ashlar quoins, and the bond between the tower and wall is reinforced at
intervals on the outer face with brick of medieval type. The east and west
faces of the tower are pierced by internally splayed slit windows at ground
and first floor level, and the north face by wider rectangular windows, in the
stone surrounds of which there are holes for metal bars. A series of corbels
project from the angles and each face of the tower below the parapet. The
interior of the ground floor is vaulted in brick. The highest parts of the
wall to east and west of the tower survive to first floor level and retain
fragments of a stone string course or weathering; the lower parts display
blocked rectangular openings, one on either side, immediately above the
offset.
The tower was restored some time before 1904, and the remains of the
adjoining wall were refaced on the south side and capped with brick and
cement. The rear (south) wall of the tower, which includes a round arched
doorway at ground floor level and a rectangular opening above it giving access
to the first floor, is constructed largely of post-medieval and modern brick
with cement rendering and is supported by brick buttresses. Fragments of an
earlier flint wall are, however, visible on the interior face over the modern
opening at first floor level and much of the original parapet, including the
outer facing, survives above this. To the east of the tower, and included in
the scheduling, is a niche formed by the remains of a medieval window with
broken tracery reset into the modern facing of the attached wall.
It is possible that Dilham Hall, 11m south of the tower which dates to the
19th century and later, overlies remains of the earlier fortified medieval
house, the remains of whose outer defensive wall are thought to comprise this
monument although this has not been confirmed. A second tower, of which
nothing visible remains above ground, is said to have stood 35m to the south
of the monument, although nothing of it is known to survive above ground and
the precise location is uncertain. Dilham Hall and the second tower are
therefore not included in the scheduling.
Modern brick additions to either end of the wall flanking the tower, which
extend about 0.7m beyond the end of the remains of the original flint masonry
are excluded from the scheduling, as is the southern end of a modern breeze
block wall which abuts the north east angle of the tower, and stone paving in
the area to the west of this, although the ground beneath these features is
included.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 1 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.
