Listed Building: BELSTEAD HALL (277379)

TM14 SW BELSTEAD 2/1 Belstead Hall 22.2.55 II* House. C16 & C17, extended C19 and later, incorporating c1300 tower. Brick, timber framed, rendered, lined as ashlar, plaintile roofs. Complex plan. Hall and crosswing, with C19 crosswing to right, C19 & C20 service ranges to left and the rear. Medieval tower or gateway within the main range, supports axial stack. 2 and 2½ storeys. Right hand gabled wing, early C19, the top storey added mid C19. 2½ storeys. Porch and ground floor sash window, c1900. 2 1st floor sashes with glazing bars. 2nd floor 3-light casement. Eaves brackets. Central gabled wing. Early C20 part glazed ground floor addition. 1st floor tripartite sash. 2nd floor sash with glazing bars. 2 storey main range. Ground floor additions of various builds. 2 first floor sashes with glazing bars, one in flush frame. Right hand return. 2½ storeys. 2 ground floor tripartite sashes with segmental heads and stone cills. 2 first floor sashes with glazing bars and stone cills. 2 full dormers, casements with glazing bars, moulded brackets. Offset ridge stack. Rear varied fenestration 1:2:2:1 sashes with glazing bars, 3-light cross casements. C20 casement to ground floor. Part-glazed door to left hand wing. 2:2:1:1 sashes with glazing bars to first floor that to right cutting the eaves line. Cross casement and sash with glazing bars to the upper storey gables. Axial brick stack to main range, square base, attached shafts set diagonally, square stack to far gable. Interior: Tower or gateway, square on plan with arched passageway through. Mortared flint rubble with tile and brick, stone dressings. Presumed late C13 from the size of the bricks c.205 x 104 x 45mm (qv. little Wenham Hall, Suffolk), although the drip mould to the upper stage suggests a later date. Round arched doorway cut through at first floor level has later brick jambs. Main range timber framed, with exposed jowelled posts. Former first floor chamber, now subdivided has ogee moulded plastered cornices, and spinal beam, with two roll mouldings with beading, to the soffit. Plastered ceiling with scattered Tudor roses, fleur de lys c1600, Ipswich manner. First floor stone chimney piece apparently set into the medieval tower. Lozenge and rosette panels, vine leaves, the central panel a later insertion, moulded jambs. Deep moulded cornices and beams to first floor chambers, c1600. C19 wing contains stair with stick balusters, ramped and wreathed rail. Roof. Cross wing widely spaced rafters, no purlins visible. Main roof: 2 tiers butt purlins and collars, the end sets of rafters with staggered purlins. No evidence of moulded and fluted roof rafters reported 1923 Suffolk Miscellany. Graded II* for medieval tower. Listing NGR: TM1273041246