Monument record ACT 020 - Acton Place

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Summary

Acton Place: great house & parkland. A 17th century? house which in 1825 was demolished expect for the servants wing.

Location

Grid reference Centred TL 8813 4554 (1301m by 971m) Centred on
Map sheet TL84NE
Civil Parish ACTON, BABERGH, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (3)

Full Description

Acton Place: Great house and parkland. Former home of the de Bures family (possibly Acton Hall - ACT 006), rebuilt by Robert Jennens (S6) but unfinished on his death in 1725. In 1674 listed as having 20-29 hearths. 1855: Sold by Daniel family in early C18 to Robert Jennens, who began erection of mansion, finished by his son, William, who died in 1791. Empty after his death, demolished c. 28 years ago (c.1825), except servants wing; extensive park now cultivated fields (R1). House shown on Bowens 1755 map (S1) as of I(J)ennens Esq and house and park shown as Acton Place, Willm Jennens Esq on Hodskinson 1783 map (S2). "Robert Jennens (died 1725) had built himself a very large mansion here. The size can be gauged from the only remaining fragment, a servants' wing, nine bays wide, with a central three bay pediment. Red brick, two-storeyed, hipped roof. The centre of the house, according to a painting of the C18 (see (S3) & (R2) photo 58a), was eleven bays wide and four storeys high, and had a three- bay pediment and a hipped roof. It was connected with the wings by one- storeyed quadrant arcades. It was pulled down in 1825" (S3). HER mapping after (S5). In 1907 described as `the residence of Mrs M Braithwaite, is a fine mansion... in an extensive park containing many noble trees (S4). For ice- house in grounds, see ACT 010.
The house itself was demolished in 1960 (S7).
There may be some vestiges of the walls or garden walls still intact.
See details in Lost Country Houses of Suffolk by WM Roberts.

Sources/Archives (11)

  • --- Cartographic materials: Bowen E. 1755. Accurate Map of the County of Suffolk.
  • <R1> (No record type): White, 1855.
  • <M1> Unpublished document: Suffolk Archaeological Service. Parish Files. Parish file: enlargement of (S5)..
  • <R2> Source Checked: Suffolk Record Office. Bury, Photo of painting of Acton Place (C17/C18).
  • <S2> Cartographic materials: Hodskinson, J.. 1783. The County of Suffolk surveyed.
  • <S3> Bibliographic reference: Pevsner N & Radcliffe E. 1974. The Buildings of England: Suffolk. 71, photo 58(a).
  • <S4> Bibliographic reference: Barker, H. R.. 1907. West Suffolk Illustrated. 3.
  • <S5> (No record type): OS, map, 1" to 1 mile, 1st ed.
  • <S6> (No record type): Dickinson P G M, The Little Guides: Suffolk, 1957 ed, 48.
  • <S7> Article in serial: East Anglian Daily Times. 5 August, 1960.
  • <S8> Bibliographic reference: Roberts, W.M.. 2010. Lost Country Houses Of Suffolk.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

Oct 3 2016 11:14AM

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