Listed Building: WESTHORPE HALL (279573)

WESTHORPE THE GREEN (NORTH SIDE) TM 06 NE 5/117 Westhorpe Hall (formerly 29.7.55 listed as Hall Farmhouse and bridge over Moat) GV II House, originally built as part of offices to earlier Hall, now an old peoples' home. Late C16 and early C17 timber frame and plastered range with early C18 English bond red brick main block remodelled in late C18, all altered C20. Built for Edmonds and Barrow families. Plaintiled and machine tiled roofs, steeply pitched on early range. Main block has a 3 cell lobby entry plan. 2 storeys and attic, perhaps taller originally. Entrance to left of centre has C20 doors, reused C16 stone pediment, cyma moulded with a Tudor rose, above a terracotta panel with arms of C. Brandon flanked by eagles. C20 2 and 3-light casements, ground floor segmental heads. Plinth, plat band, timber wall plate to sprocket eaves. 3 part opening 3-light gabled dormers with bargeboards, ridge stack to left of centre. To rear a catslide roof over an early lean-to outshut from right or service end, to left a C19 pantiled lean-to outshut. Attached to right end of C18 block a low C20 link to earlier range at right angles towards rear, the whole forming an L on plan. 3 bays with 4 bays added to rear in C17. 2 storeys and attic. Front gable end has an early external stack with a rebuilt cap, an oven lean-to to left and a later lean-to to front, C20 casements. Right return has scattered casements, early brick footings leading down into moat, towards rear a C19 inserted ridge stack. In C17 addition to rear a 4-light diamond mullioned window on first floor, 2 rear bays of this build reduced to 1 storey in C19. Interior: altered C18 block has ogee stop chamfered cross axial binding beams and joists, to rear right an original chamfered doorway into lean-to, collars clasp purlins in roof with ridge piece. C16 bays have altered framing on ground floor, outer wall largely rebuilt, a large 5-light diamond mullioned window opening to front gable end. First floor reverse curved arched bracing in close studded walls, large 7 and 8-light diamond mullioned window openings, roof has lower butt purlins, upper purlins clasped by collars and halved principals, upper arched windbraces. C17 bays are close studded, 4-light diamond mullioned window openings, cranked arched braces to a cambered tie beam, collars and halved principals clasp purlins, arched windbraces. The existing Hall lies on the east side of a fully moated site, to the west was the C15 and C16 Hall that was demolished c.1764. Here lived Mary Tudor (1496- 1533), daughter of Henry VII, who after her marriage to Louis XII of France in October 1514 was crowned in November of the same year and widowed on January 1st 1515. She returned to England and married Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. Here Mary died in 1533. Immediately south east of the surviving buildings are medieval flint and brick footings of an earlier Hall built for the Elmham family, diagonal buttressing and remains of a postern bridge. (East Anglian Miscellany, vol.7, 1913, pp.97-111 and vol. 8, 1914, pp.1-26). Listing NGR: TM0512269170