Felbrigg Hall

Details

FELBRIGG FELBRIGG PARK TG 13 NE 5/17 Felbrigg Hall 20:2:52 I Large house. Circa 1621-24 probably by Robert Lyminge for Thomas Windham. Circa 1685 by William Samwell for William Windham. Circa 1750 by James Paine for William Windham II. Rendered brick and flint with stone dressings, brick. Slate and glazed black pantile roofs. Plan irregular but 1620's range was one room deep with hall and cross-passage. 1680's range single pile of 3 cells. South front of 1620's in flint and English bond brick, rendered at some date but some fallen. 7 bays, 2 storeys and attic. Rendered plinth. Stone mullioned and transomed windows with leaded glazing, ovolo mouldings, the centre mullions being heavier. Windows to ground floor have 2 transoms. Bays 1 and 7 have canted 6-light windows. Bays 2, 3, 5 and 6 have 3-light windows. Central square projecting bay, restored to west, with rusticated archway. Flanking free-standing Doric columns on plinths with strapwork. Strapwork to entablature which breaks out over the Doric columns. Above this the arms of Thomas Windham and wife, and his father Sir John Wyndham and wife. 3-light mullioned window over. Above the ground floor windows is an entablature with gattae, triglyphs and rosettes, and plain cornice. This rises on porch to accommodate window over archway. Modillions to cornice over upper windows. Brick, part rendered, parapet the projecting bays bearing the words GLORIA DEO IN EXCELSIS in pierced stone; surmounted by heraldic beasts. Small dormer behind porch; there were formerly three lights to the long gallery, converted to bedrooms in C18. Shaped gables. 3 stacks to rear wall each with 3 polygonal shafts and star tops, now enclosed by later building. Canted bays to gable-ends, that to the east with C19 casement under hood-mould to ground floor, C17 mullioned and transomed window to first floor with Gothick glazing bars; C17 fenestration to western gable, the lower panels at an angle on the ground floor are blank. 3 light attic dormers under hood moulds. West facade of c1685 having 8 bays, 2 storeys and attic. Brick plinth. Sash windows with glazing bars with moulded brick reveals and flat rubbed brick arches. The openings to the first and second bays being blind. A drawing in the Hall of c1675 shows, that cross-casements were intended, some of the present sashes having thick glazing bars, some thinner, the casements were presumably replaced and the sashes altered over time. Rusticated brick quoins. The centre 2 bays break forward slightly, also with rusticated quoins. Doors to the second and seventh bays with black lower panels, the upper parts corresponding to the sash windows; both have a moulded brick eared architrave with brick segmental pediment over cutting the platband. Windows to the second and seventh bays of the first floor with moulded brick surrounds. Heavily moulded timber eaves modillion cornice. Hipped roof with 6 attic sashes under moulded timber pediments. 2 stacks to rear of this range with WW on tie-irons. To the north gable a 2 storey canted bay was added c1750 copying the moulded window surrounds and heavy cornice of 1685. Sash to each face of canted bay on ground floor with sills at ground level; sashes to first floor with thicker glazing bars. Moulded timber pediment to attic light in hipped roof behind. In C18 a parallel range was added behind the C17 house, with a shaped gable to the east and heavy timber cornice, making a double pile. A further, single storey, addition was made to the north in 1823. A 2-storey outshut with platband and brick dentil cornice was added to the rear of the west wing containing a corridor for ground and first floors in C18. Interior. Rib-vaulted porch to south front. Stone door surround reproducing the original which was moved to the walled garden (item No. 5/14q.v.) in 1842. Double leaved door, lower panels blank, upper with Gothick ogee glazing bars. Original cross-passage now an entrance hall; screen now a solid wall. Opposite the entrance door, a stone doorway, now blocked, with shields in the spandrels. The Hall refurbished c1840 probably by J.C. and G. Buckler in Jacobean style. Oak overdoors with strapwork and finials; stone chimneypiece with heavy strapwork overmantle containing C17 Windhams arms. Drop finials to ceiling plasterwork. Stained glass brought to house c1840 and used in this room includes 5 panels of C15 glass from St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich; 2 C15 French figures of angels; early C17 Swiss glass. Dining room formed by Paine when Samwell's stair was removed. Plaster chimney piece with scrolled eared architrave, lions' head and paws to entablature. Plasterers were Joseph Rose the elder and George Green. Flanking over doors with acanthus moulding; moulded eared architrave; doors with 6 raised and fielded panels, beaded muntins. Principal doors with acorns and oak leaves to overdoors with ribbons; consoles supporting egg and dart cornice. Panels containing Rococo plasterwork threaded with chain. 8 sconces with plasterwork surrounds; garlands with ribbons and fruit; ceiling cornice with egg and dart moulding and dentils. 4 seasons to corner panels of ceiling. Oval centre panel with spears, drums, hunting horns; eagle with outspread wings, talons intended to hold chain of chandelier. Drawing room. White marble fire surround with Roman Ionic Siena marble columns and frieze. Door cases by Paine with overdoors having drapery with fruit and ribbons; surrounds with egg and dart moulding. Cornice with palmettes, doors, dado and shutters also by Paine. Plaster ceiling dated 1687 with WW in another panel. Plasterer probably Edward Goudge. Border to central panel includes roses, pomegranates, pears, grapes etc; corner panels with moulded figures of birds. Cabinet. 1685 remodelled in c1750, the 2 windows to the west being blocked and a canted bay added to the north. Window shutters have octagonal moulded panels; dado and door surround also by Paine. Chimney piece of white marble with consoles, fluted fascia of 1824. Dentilled coved cornice with garlands of flowers and Windham arms above chimney piece of c1750 again by Paine's plasterers Rose and Green. Main ceiling with panels having fruit, flowers etc of c1685 by Goudge with added Rococo centrepiece. Plasterwork continued into added bay in C17 style. Open-well staircase by Paine of c1750; open string, moulded tread. S-shaped wrought iron balusters; ramped mahogany hand-rail. Upper landing with moulded plaster panels; moulded door surrounds; ceiling cornice with modillions; skylight of c1930. Library by Paine in Gothick style. Clustered shafts to corners of bookcases rising to a pinnacle. Trefoils to cornice. Geometrical 'Jacobean' ceiling removed in 1923, small amount remains in window bays; the window in bay to the west subsequently blocked in 1787 and the bay lined with bookcases by Matthew Bret- tingham in similar style to Paine's. Marble bolection-moulded fireplace brought to the library from Cabinet in 1752. Cellars include a medieval undercroft of 6 bays with transverse 4-centred arch brick ribs and evidence of a brick stair to house. Felbrigg. The Story of a House. R.W. Ketton-Cremer. 1962. Country Life. December 22nd 1934. Felbrigg Hall. Gervase Jackson-Stops. National Trust.

Listing NGR: TG1931039400

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

223255

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Jackson Stops, G, Felbrigg Hall, ()
Ketton Cremer, RW, Felbrigg The Story of a House, (1962)
Country Life in Country Life, (1934)

Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 29 Norfolk,

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