Details
TM 13 SW STUTTON STUTTON PARK
4/94 Stutton Hall
22/2/55
GV II*
House, said to be circa 1553 for Sir Edmund Jermy. A large timber framed house
with C19/C20 red brick facing and C19/C20 west extensions. Red plain tile roofs.
The original house with gabled wing to north east has 3 noteworthy chimneystacks,
each with 4 circular shafts with different Tudor mouldings, moulded bases and
cappings, one to the east wall and 2 to south wall, 2 similar reproduction stacks
have been added to the western extensions, one to the west wall and one to the north
west gable. 2 storeys, attics and cellar. The north face with original gable to
east, C20 flat roofed extension leading to a gabled stair turret at re-entrant angle
to north west gabled wing west of which is a further extension with roof hipped
to east. 1:1:2:1:2:2 window frange of various casements with mullions, some with
transoms. A wall, qv 4/95 attached to east and west of this face encloses a square
garden with a gatehouse in its northern face, suggesting that the original entrance
to the house was opposite and to the west of the original gable. South face: Roof
hipped to east and west with 5 gabled dormers, one between original chimneystacks
and the other 4 to west. There is a gabled stair turret to east of the original
building chimneystack with one diagonal shaft attached to the east wall. A C19/C20
gable breaks forward to west of the original range with a 2-window range to west.
8 first floor and 6 ground floor various casements with mullions and transoms, that
to western gable, first floor a 5-light oriel with carved brackets and surround.
C19/C20 gabled porch to west of stair turret with double panelled doors, sidelignts
and tripartite light over. This side looks across a topiary garden toward the River
Stour. Interior: The roof of the original building where visible is of arch braced
side purlin construction. Some of the huge jowled storey posts are visible
particularly in the north wall and east wing. Excluding the attics most ceilings
are of moulded plaster of 6 panels with moulded beams and cornices. Some beams
with moulded bosses, panel designs usually various fleur-de-lys and roses, some
fine vine and foliage friezes, some ceiling panels repeat the frieze design.
Ground floor: The hall is panelled, the 8-panelled doors have cocks-head hinges.
Grape and vine frieze, moulded beams, fleur-de-lys and rose panelling to ceiling.
Moulded stone fire surround, overmantel with central 2-tailed merman and scrolled
foliate decoration. A later 2-bay arcade of timber has fluted columns with moulded
and carved bases and Ionic capitals supporting a moulded beam with ball finials
to moulded bosses. To east of this arcade the stair entrance dado is similarly
panelled and the frieze and ceiling mouldings continued. The staircase with turned
newels and balusters continues through to the attics with centre newel. The dining
room to west, has similar panelled dado and doors, moulded ceiling and moulded stone
fire surround, the spandrels carved with foliage and coat of arms. In one corner
is a panelled closet. The huge storey posts and a mullion window are visible in
the north wall. In the hallway to north and backing onto the closet is an original
moulded and nailed vertically boarded door with heavy iron catch, which leads to
the cellar. The east wing has 2 main rooms, the billiard room with 6-panelled
ceiling, moulded beams, ornate fleur-de-lys panels with bosses, moulded frieze.
Moulded and plastered fire surround with mantel shelf and overmantel panel moulded
with scrolls and border. The room adjacent to billiard room has a 6-panel ceiling
with fleur-de-lys panels and bosses to the moulded beams. The moulded stone fire-
place with shelf and carved overmantel panel, this with end and central shields
of arms and 2 boat-shaped heraldic beasts each with 2 heads facing inward towards
a central finial. First floor: The main drawing room, formerly the Great Chamber,
is above the hall, the 6-panel ceiling has moulded beams with bosses, the panels
are coved with patterns of thin ribs and moulded pendants, the frieze decoration
delicate in comparison to the others. Fluted wall pilasters with moulded bases
and carved foliage capitals. Moulded stone fire surround, 4 carved faces and central
shield of arms to overmantel panel. Small bedroom moulded beams to panelled ceiling,
moulded rectangular frames, moulded frieze. Fireplace with fluted ½ columns, bases
and composite capitals, moulded soffit to shelf, cast iron hob grate, 2-panel door.
East wing bedroom. Panelled throughout. 6-panel ceiling, moulded beams with bosses,
fleur-de-lys and rose decoration to panels, vine and grape decoration to frieze.
The storey posts treated as panelled pilasters with moulded plaster capitals.
Probably stone bolection moulded fire surround with cast iron hob grate. Wood
arcaded overmantel with frieze and cornice. Mullion window. There is a pump in
a wooden case with lever type handle and spout emerging from the top of the case
attached to the wall of the C19/C20 build.
The house passed from the Jermy's to the Tollemache family, then to Thomas May,
later to the Earl of Dysart and then the Catt family, C20 to the Fison and Strott
families.
N Pevsner, 'Suffolk', 1961
E Sandon, 'Suffolk Houses', 1984, which gives a copy of an engraving by T Higham
in The Excursions, 1818 (page 210) and photographs of south face (page 211) the
upper drawing room (page 211) and a fireplace overmantel (page 145).
White's 'Directory of Suffolk', 1844.
Listing NGR: TM1403233702
