The Old Hall

Details

TM 0734 EAST BERGHOLT RECTORY HILL (South Side)

6/60 The Old Hall (Formerly listed as 22.2.55 The Friary)

- II

House, including former service range to north, now divided into dwelling units. Range of 1713 (on rainwater head) with later C18 - C20 additions and alterations. Slid C19 conventual ranges and chapel not of special interest. Service range probably C17. 1713 house for Joseph Chaplain. White brick with red brick dressings. Red brick later C18 addition, part lime washed. Plain tile and slate roofs. 1713 range of 3 storeys, 7 bays with single-storey C18 addition to south, raised to 3 storeys early C20, 2-storey C18 range to north, raised to 3 storeys C19. Extensive conventual buildings to north incorporating earlier service range. 1713 house, west front: outer bays recessed. Plinth, quoins. Later Ionic porch with dentilled pediment. 6-panel door with patterned fanlight in panelled reveal. 18-pane sashes in architraves with aprons. Gauged brick flat arches and jambs in red brick. Floor bands. Similar first floor windows and 12-pane sashes to second floor. Moulded cornice and parapet. Recessed bays to each side with similar detailing, that to right has rainwater tread dated 1713 JCM. East front: 5-bay range with 6th bay brought forward at right, similar detailing to west front but no porch. Library range to left originally single-storey has 3 tall 15-pane sashes with cambered gauged brick arches. C20 addition above, bowed front to south altered and raised at the same time. To right, an originally 2-storey range with sashes with glazing bars, some replaced by casements. Second floor band with later addition above. Interior: 1713 range has staircase hall with panelling retaining fine dogleg stair- case with 3 twisted balusters per tread, carved tread ends, Corinthian newels and ramped moulded handrail. Panelled dado follows line of stair. Staircase window in pedimented surround. First floor has two fully panelled rooms with original doors and window shutters. Remains of original panelling elsewhere with dentilled cornices and doorcases. Library range retains decorative scheme with dentil and modillion cornice and plasterwork ceiling. Service range to north: C19 encasing of earlier timber-framed structure which may relate to the original hall; red brick in Flemish bond with plain tile roof; sashes with flat gauged brick arches, (some later windows); iron tie bar ends; hipped roof. Interior much altered, but shows remains of frame with stout scantlings. Posts with large chamfered knees with iron bolts, one tie beam and other beams. Double span roof of butt purlin construction, much altered, with former window concealed beneath present roof. Old Hall was the principal manor of East Bergholt. It was acquired in 1701 by Joseph Chaplain, wine cooper and High Sheriff of Suffolk, who built the house to replace an earlier structure. The painting of the house by John Constable was commissioned by the owner, John Reade, in 1801. The house became a Benedictine nunnery in 1856, at which time the conventual ranges were added. 'An Unknown Constable' The Connoisseur Dec 1956 p 249.

Listing NGR: TM0710534362

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

278768

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
The Connoisseur in December, (1956), 249

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.