Listed Building: WENHAM PLACE (278839)

TM 03 NE GREAT WENHAM CHURCH ROAD 3/65 22.2.55 WENHAM PLACE GV II* House. Early C16 with later additions and alterations. C16 red brick, some exposed timber framing with brick nogging infill to north face first floor and some C19 red brick to south face. Red plain tiled roofs. L plan facing south, original wings to east (right) and north with C19 brick facing to south east (right). Taller range to west (left). Front external left offset chimney stack with 2 square attached shafts, moulded capping, a similar single shafted stack forward right of this range. A large narrow rectangular shaft off centre right of right range breaks through the ridge base, band and moulded capping. 2 storeys and attics. The left (west) return is of C19 red brick and suggests the house extended further west at one time. The front (south) brick work is in English bond and is much repaired. First floor left leaded cross transom casement and right tripartite small paned vertically sliding sash windows. Ground floor leaded 4 light casement, centre transom, chamfered brick head. Doorway to right of chimney stack, panelled stone/stucco surround, moulded flat canopy on scroll brackets, 4-panel 2-light door. The rear (north) face of this range has a stepped band, 2 three-light leaded casements with transoms and a smaller 2-light central casement. Ground floor - left 6 panelled door, moulded surround, segmental head. To right are 2 blocked segmental headed arches that to left with a C20 3-light casement under. Right (east) range. C19 red brick face and gabled return. Large gable to left, central and right feature gables, all gables, including left return with moulded coping. Beneath each gable are tripartite small paned vertically sliding sash windows to first and ground floor, moulded brick surrounds and labels over. 2 later first floor windows to left. Plank and muntin door with ornate hinges to right of left gable, brick surround and label. Right stable-type door, segmental head over. The rear (north) face of this range to west of the chimney stack has Flemish bond brickwork to ground floor and a timber frame with bric nogging infill to first floor east with a 3-light leaded mullion. Brickwork in English bond to western bays with central band, first floor leaded 3-light casement and 2 C19/C20 ground floor casements. North east gabled wing. The original north facing gable of English bond red brick with black header diapering. Right and left polygonal buttresses, bases, finials with moulded bases and heads, moulded coping and finial to gable. Windows of 3 and 4 sunk chamfered 4-centre arched lights under square heads with moulded labels to attic and first floor, similar surround and label to ground floor but with C19 Gothic windows and door inset. The left and right returns with first floors timber framed, brick nogging infill, brick ground floors. 2 mullion windows to first floor right return. Interior features. There are 4 brick niches in the ground floor room of original north eastern gable. original mouldings to windows. Brick spiral staircase to rear of eastern range with timber treads. Very large inglenook mantel beam (approx 3.7 metres). Inserted ceiling with moulded joists and panel door with cocks head hinges 4-centre arched fireplace with moulded jambs in bedroom. Shutters to later windows. Moulded panelled door and a door possibly made from a Jacobean overmantel with carved squares and roundels to arch and capitals, roses and foliage to spandrel, moulded and carved jewel and crenellations to lower panel. Old glass in some windows, some jowled storey posts visible. Old floor boards to bedrooms. Vertically boarded wall to first floor, east wing. Pammet tiled hall floor. A fire caused by Agricultural Riots damaged the roof during C19. The house was owned by Willie Lot whose cottage at Flatford features in a painting by John Constable. N Pevsner. Suffolk 1974. Listing NGR: TM0719537760