Somerleyton Hall

SOMERLEYTON HALL

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1198046
Date first listed:
29-Jan-1987
List Entry Name:
Somerleyton Hall
Statutory Address:
SOMERLEYTON HALL
A drawing by the Revd. Alfred Suckling (Rector of Barsham) of the early 17th century predecessor of Somerleyton Hall.
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Location

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Archive image, may not represent current condition of site.
Date:
2007-08-17
Reference:
IOE01/16801/30
Rights:
© Mr Brian Grint. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1198046
Date first listed:
29-Jan-1987
List Entry Name:
Somerleyton Hall
Statutory Address 1:
SOMERLEYTON HALL

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
SOMERLEYTON HALL

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Suffolk
District:
East Suffolk (District Authority)
Parish:
Somerleyton, Ashby and Herringfleet
National Grid Reference:
TM 49283 97769

Details

SOMERLEYTON SOMERLEYTON PARK TM 49 NE 4/50 Somerleyton Hall GV II* Mansion. Small C16 core; rebuilt 1844 by John Thomas for Sir Morton Peto. Red brick with stone dressings. Slated roof. Principally in the Jacobean style. Mainly 2 storeys with attics. Entrance front. 9-bay centre with flanking projecting wings of 5 bays (left) and 3 bays (right): large paned cross windows with quoined stone surrounds. Cornice and flat parapet, broken in the centre by the Crossley family arms. Shaped end gables to wings. Across the centre a single-storey stone loggia of French Renaissance derivation with semi-circular headed windows, 2 open arches and an elaborately-carved projecting porch with cupola. Heavy entrance door with moulded panels. Various stacks with groups of detached octagonal shafts. Set back to the left is a tall square Italianate tower with pierced stone parapet surmounted by urns. Garden front. Symmetrical, in 11 bays arranged 1:4:1:4:1; windows as entrance front but with solid stone surrounds. Wide 3- storey end bays, enriched by engaged square columns and with 2-storey 5-light canted bay windows. Central 3-storey stone porch, open to the ground floor and with a first floor oriel window; superimposed orders of enriched engaged square columns. Pierced stone parapet broken by a range of 8 hooded dormers and by coats of arms on the end bays. Interior. Panelled entrance hall, the panels infilled with marble and framed by 12 carved oak columns; dome with stained glass panels of local game birds. The staircase hall has a heavy panelled ceiling carried on console brackets; heavy well stair of oak, with turned balusters and square newel posts. In the main drawing room (now called the ballroom) an ornate panelled ceiling in Jacobean style and opposing marble statuary fireplaces. The adjacent Oak Parlour contains some good woodwork re- used from the old house: late C17 panelling, early C18 carved doorcases and boldly-carved overmantel frieze and drops in the style of Gibbons. 2 carved doorcases and matching fireplace in the Dining Room may also be re-used C18 work. The present library was formed c.1920 when the 2-storey Banqueting Hall was floored over: this is the only major spatial alteration to the interior. For a fuller description, especially of the interior, see Somerleyton An Illustrated Guide (public guidebook); Connoisseur December 1962 pp.209-215. The surrounding park and gardens are included in the HBMC County Register of Gardens at Grade II*.

Listing NGR: TM4928397769

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:
282401
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Somerleyton An Illustrated Guide, ()
The Connoisseur in December, (1962)

Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 39 Suffolk,

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Somerleyton Hall

Map

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

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.

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