Monument record OUS 003 - Ousden Hall

Ousden Hall (site of TL 7352 5962). Said to have been erected in the time of Queen Elizabeth for the Moseley family, but that the porch at the N end was all that survived of the original building (S1). 1924 copy of an earlier estate map shows a U-shaped building on site of later house (? house remodelled not rebuilt). Map also shows a U-shaped moat to the S of the house, the E arm running alongside the churchyard; a causeway at the S end gave access to the `Garden Pightle', which in turn had two fishponds on its S side (S2). Rebuilding in mid-18th century, again for the Moseleys, gave house a 5-bay, 2-storey entrance front with a central Venetian window, also a simple porch with Tuscan columns (S3). Park and avenue leading off on N side shown in 1783 (S4). Estate map of late 1830s shows H-shaped house, moat had been infilled except for the western arm that had been converted into a narrow canal. Two fishponds amalgamated into one larger one (S5). House further enlarged, including N & W porticos by Thomas Rickman for T J Ireland 1835-6 (S6). House illustrated 1907 (S7). House demolished 1955, leaving only the 19th century clock tower at the E end standing (S3, S6, S8) Large stable block to N of house has now been converted into Ousden House. This is red brick late 18th/19th century. It has stone fleurs-de-lys above some windows, this being a device in the Ireland coat-of-arms, which indicates building or rebuilding post 1835 wehn the Ireland's inherited the estate. The canal flanking the churchyard and the substantial earthwork terrace on its W side still survive, though overgrown with trees and scrub. The S half of the canal is still wet, but much silted (surprisingly, a map of 1885 shows a line of conifers down the canal (S9)). The flat-topped terrace on the W side has a line of yew trees along its W margin (?an overgrown hedge)(S10). Possibly early 18th century in date.
Includes possible ancient woodland remnant to south (Beech Plantation) which is defined by bank and outer ditch (OUS 010), plus various other internal earthworks (S11). Part of extension of park to west ?.
See OUS 004 for dovecote.
For possible large prospect mound see OUS 014.
See also (R1).
See details in Lost Country Houses of Suffolk by WM Roberts.