Listed Building: LOUDHAM HALL (286531)

PETTISTREE LOUDHAM HALL ROAD TM 35 SW (South side) 10/118 Loudham Hall 16/3/66 - II* Country House. C16 core, greatly altered c.1750 and later in the C18. Red Flemish bond brick with a slate roof. Two storeys and two storeys with attic. Entrance front: 11 bays symmetrically arranged in a rhythm of AA.BB.CCC.BB.AA, originally having two projecting wings where the 'A' bays now are. The central 3 bays project slightly and are of rubbed brick with, at ground floor level, chamfered rustication. Central doorway with double doors, each having 4 recessed panels with a moulded surround. To either side are sash windows of 3x4 panes which have splayed quintuple keystones above. Band of 4 bricks depth between the floors on which rest 4 Ionic pilasters. Between these are sash windows of 3x4 panes with splayed heads and projecting keystones. Entablature and pediment above this. To centre of the tympanum is a domed clock face. The pairs of bays at either side of this have a slightly projecting plinth and sashes of 3x4 panes to both doors. Band of 5 bricks depth between the floors and of 4 bricks depth below the deep parapet. The first floor is slightly taller than the ground floor. The pairs of projecting bays at far left and right are similar. The roof is gable ended and has chimneys of 3 flues to either gable end largely hidden by the parapet. Both sides of the house have 2 stories of less height than those on the entrance front and a correspondingly deep parapet. Right hand side: projecting portion at right of 5 bays with, at ground floor level, projecting quoins to the corners of brick. Bands between the floors and a deep parapet with recessed panels, some of which may formerly have contained windows. Doorway to left, with ½-glazed door and a dummy overlight. The window immediately to right of this has a dummy top. To right of the door are 3 windows, each of 3x4 panes. The central window at first floor level is blank and to either side of it are 2 windows of 3x4 sash panes. To left of this are 3 bays with sash windows of the usual form to both floors save for the top left window which is blank. Left hand side: 2 bays at right which have sashes of 3x4 panes save at ground floor right which is blank. Further blank panels to the parapet which ramps up at right and has ashlar coping. To left of this is a slightly projecting range which has 2 tall stories and a shallow parapet, similar to the entrance front. This has two arched bays to both floors, those at right being blank and that at bottom left with a doorway with fanlight. Between these and at either side of them are narrow windows of 2x4 panes creating the effect of doubled Venetian windows. The door is of 6 raised and fielded panels. Recessed and at left is a range of 3 bays with a doorway at left and at right of it 2 sash windows of 3x4 panes. Two similar windows to the first floor and a blank panel at left. Deep parapet above. Rear: projecting wing at right of 3 bays with blocked central ground floor and first floor right hand windows, the remaining windows on this front all being of 3x4 sash panes. Recessed and at left of this are 4 further bays. Projecting at far left is a wide projecting single bay. Interior: Entrance hall: Painted pine panelling with 2 tiers of raised and fielded panels divided by a chair rail. Similarly moulded panelled shutters. To the end of the wall opposite the doorway is a screen of 2 Corinthian columns with pilaster responds to the rear and side walls. The rear portion of the hall beyond the screen has wide niches at either side with central double doors with fanlights, which give onto an axial corridor. The walls here have similar panelling and both hall and passage have stone flags laid in diamond-pattern. Dining room: Richly moulded fluted cornice and coved niches of late C18 pattern set with central doors, each of 6 panels. The bolection-moulded chimney piece is a C20 insertion. Drawing room: Neo-classical marble chimney piece with fluted frieze and pilasters with laurel wreaths to their friezes. Central oval panel with swags at either side showing a reclining female figure holding dividers and a cherub bearing a scroll with a landscape and pyramid in the background. Frieze with palmettes to this room, at rear showing early C18 or late C17 panelling. The staircase is of 2 flights and has richly-moulded tread ends, spiral on vase balusters and a richly-moulded handrail which ends in a wreathed curtail with an Ionic column as newel post. Raised and fielded panelling to the dado which ramps up to the landings as does the handrail. The long wide axial corridor at first floor level is approached by a small staircase with similarly-moulded balustrade. The panelling here is similar to that seen in the central ground floor hall and it is possible judging from the size and positioning of this room that it may be the long gallery of the C16 house remodelled. Two first floor front rooms have panelling to the dado. The back staircase is of 4 flights with a moulded handrail, and plain newels with bun finials. Sources: Nikolaus Pevsner, The Buildings of England : Suffolk, 1975 Eric Sandon, Suffolk Houses, 1977 Listing NGR: TM3098054154