Swannington Hall

Details

SWANNINGTON

39/8/82 CHURCH LANE 09-JAN-52 Swannington Hall

II*

Swannington Hall is a moated manor house of C15 and later.

MATERIALS The Hall is constructed of red brick, brick and flint with plain tile gable roofs.

PLAN it has an asymmetric 'H' plan of two storeys and attics with off centre porch to the west and outshots and a single storey wing of later date to the east

EXTERIOR There is a part-corbelled stack on the north-east gable of the north wing comprising 4 octagonal shafts with bases and capitals. There are off-centre axial stacks in the central range with that to the south comprising 4 octagonal shafts with bases and capitals and that to the north a circular shaft with 4 attached rectangular pilasters.

The façade to the west has crosswings with stepped gables, moulded brick kneelers to the north and south, the latter perhaps incorporating fragments of a C15 building. The central bay to the façade has four C19 3-light mullion and transom windows in chamfered reveals to the west of the porch, and there are two pairs of similarly arranged windows to the crosswings. The porch has a rendered 3-centred arch and rectangular hood mould, with a central window, stepped gable and finial above. There is a C16 battened and boarded entrance door with triple shafted frame. On the east elevation, there are C19 and C20 windows to the ground and first floor. A door with Tudor-arched head lies adjacent to the south wing and above is a casement window with roll moulded mullions. The north elevation has a door with Tudor-arched head and massive frame at ground floor and two C19 Gothic windows to the first floor. The south elevation has three C19 four-over-four sash windows at ground and first floor.

INTERIOR The central hall has heavily roll moulded principal and common joists and a C16 stone fireplace with a Tudor arch and roses in the spandrels. There are C19 doorways with Tudor arches. In the parlour are moulded principal and common joists. There are moulded newels to the stairs in original locations and C16 studded partitions in association with solid tread stairs. The attic floor has stopped and chamfered transverse bridging beams supporting joists with carpenters marks. There is a clasped purlin roof structure over the central range and north wing with arched braces from the principal rafter to the collar and wind braces. The principals are stopped and chamfered, cranked and reduced at the junction with the collar.

HISTORY The extant moat around the current hall may relate to the C12 occupation of the site. The earliest phase of the current hall is probably the south wing incorporating fabric of the late C15. At the beginning of the C16, the hall was owned by the Richers family but it is clear that when John Richers wrote his will in 1501 the family had lived at the hall for some time. Later descendents of John Richers remodelled the hall approximately to its current configuration. Notable later occupants include the Bladwells and at times in its history, the Hall has been used as a farmhouse. There are many building campaigns apparent in the historic fabric of the building. For example the east elevation of the south wing contains flint walling below diapered brick work. The east face of the north wing and west face of the south wing were refronted probably in the C17. The west face of the north wing was refronted in the C19.

SOURCES Kelly, G I, 1988 'Swannington Hall, A History'. Unpublished report.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION Swannington Hall is designated in grade II* for the following principal reasons. * It contains historic fabric of the C15 and later. * It retains significant interior features of the C16 and later including the roof structure, fireplaces, doors and stairs. * It has a well-documented history which underpins its claim to more than special interest. * Changes made during its long history of use reflect the development of domestic architecture in the country from the late medieval period onwards.

LISTING NGR TG13829 19302

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

228042

Legacy System:

LBS

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