Yaxley Hall

Details

YAXLEY HALL LANE (SOUTH SIDE) TM 17 SW 3/147 Yaxley Hall 29.7.55 - II*

Country house. c1580 for W. Yaxley, earlier origins and C17 additions all for Yaxley family. Part rebuilt 1772 for Rev. S. Leeke. Part demolished and altered 1923, altered 1963 by Sir B. Spence for himself. Red brick part cement rendered, some plastered timber frame to earlier sections. Steeply pitched slate roofs. A complex plan: originally probably an E or half H with 2 further outer crosswings added in late C16, small additions to earlier 2 bay cross wings in C16 and C17, main range replaced 1772 by a forward projecting Gothick block, left wings demolished 1923 following a fire. The house now appears as 3 builds, an C18 block with 2 earlier cross wings to right. 2 storeys with attics. C18 block to left has a 3 bay front: central entrance, a glazing bar sash with opening panels below, doorcase with inner scrolled architrave, outer pilasters with finely ornamented capitals, open dentilled pediment. Plinth, rendered moulded string course at level of ground floor window heads continued from earlier wings, thin glazing bar sashes in flush moulded frames. First floor: central blocked opening had a Gothick ogee head, flanking 2-light metal frame casements with ogee headed lights, upper cusped lights with depressed arched heads, dentilled and embattled parapet. Central on ridge an open timber cupola with a bell, cornice to leaded ogee cap with weathervane. At right end a cross axial ridge stack, roof continues over. first cross wing. Left gable end largely rebuilt 1923 with an entrance towards front, reused early C19 double panelled doors, pilastered and open pedimented doorcase, reused early red brick, soldier courses over C20 glazing bar sashes, coped gable parapet swept down towards rear over a C20 6-light leaded mullion and transom window with stained glass, slightly projecting C20 staircase addition with a similar 4-light window to rear. Main range to rear has a 2-light leaded casement with a cambered head, C20 windows. Early cross wing to front right was extended forward in C16 by 1 bay, now set back slightly: plastered timber frame with 2 bays of thick glazing bar sashes, flush moulded frames, moulded string course, a small 3-light attic window with pointed arched lights, finialed bargeboarded gable, separate ridge to earlier section behind front bay. Further right is c1580 brick wing, flush front, cement rendered with scoring to resemble ashlar, continuing moulded string course is part of hoodmould over ground floor 8-light mullion and transom leaded window, first floor 8-light mullion and transom window enlarged in C18, hexagonal leaded panes, slightly cambered head, projecting surround with a C19 cornice, in attic a blind 6-light opening with chamfered mullions and transom, square surround with cornice to a pediment with 3 C19 finials, moulded kneelers with C19 finials to shaped gable with lower concave curve, step to upper convex curve. Left kneeler is higher over earlier cross wing. C19 stack in valley between cross wings. Right return has exposed brick, English bond with C19 and C20 repair, a large early external stack with an arched oven recess to former bakehouse, repaired with double offsets to shaft, C20 openings on ground floor, moulded eaves cornice towards rear. Rear gable end first floor 8-light mullion and transom window with leaded lights, original rendered ovolo moulded mullions and transom, outer chamfer, kneelers to coped gable parapet. Attached to rear a 1 storey outbuilding with a pantiled roof, a pump attached to rear end. Earlier cross wing has a C17 section towards rear, inner return has early C19 Gothick casement windows of 3 and 5-lights with trefoiled heads, a similar C20 door, rear gable end ground floor pantiled outshut, first floor similar 3-light casement and a tall sash, pentice board to very steeply pitched gable. Interior: ground floor, between front and 2 early bays of first cross wing is a late C16 brick wall with a red brick doorway, an almost round arch, double ovolo moulded with impost blocks, second cross wing has a restored depressed arched fireplace with hollow and ovolo mouldings. C18 block has a good drawing room, chimney piece with a lugged architrave, finely moulded mantelpiece, corbelled Gothick cornice. Mid C18 staircase from Swattesfield Hall, Thornham (now demolished and not listed) reset and altered 1923, turned balusters, capped newel posts, moulded ramped handrail swept out at base. First floor: fragments of reset stained glass, one with date 1583, bay added to front of early wing has an early scarf joint and evidence of close studding, earlier roof to 2 bays behind has simple coupled rafters and collars with no longitudinal members, added bays have butt and clasped purlins. Large barrel vaulted room on first floor of late C16 cross wing with C20 plaster work in a C16 style by Sir B. Spence, crossed strips with vine scrolls and birds. (East Anglian Miscellany, vol.4, 1910, pp.36-58; Suffolk Archaeology, vol.XVI, 1918, pp1-28 and 135-66).

Listing NGR: TM1247273594

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

279603

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
East Anglian Miscellany in East Anglian Miscellany, Vol. 4, (1910), 36-58
Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History in Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History, (1918), 1-28
Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History in Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History, (1918), 135-66

End of official list entry

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