Monument record ETN 005 - The White House; Easton Mansion; Easton Park (PMed)

White House, site of, marked on OS 1:25,000. Originally a Med manor house, rebuilt in late C16 to early C17 by Wingfield family. Owned from mid C18-C19 by the Dukes of Hamilton and Brandon (S5). Rebuilt on a large scale in early C19 by Hamiltons, known as 'The Mansion'. Demolished circa 1922 (S1)(S2). Estate bounded by crinkle-crankle wall, survives except between 'The Lodge' and church.
Variously known as The White House, Easton Mansion or Easton Park. Built (rebuilt ?) by the Earls of Rochford after acquiring Easton in 1708. Made of white brick, two storeyed, 15 bays with a central 3 bay projection crowned by a pediment supported by pilasters. Demolished in 1925, sited at TM 2824 5877. The Earls of Rochford also created the Park, in existence by 1783. The very fine crinkle-crankle walls were added circa 1830. Shortly afterwards the estate was inherited by Dukes of Hamilton. The stables (for 50 horses), coach house and estate office, near the house, were built in 1874 and have now been converted into private houses. The Model Farm and Dairy SW of the Park, were built in 1875 on the edge of the village. Also built in the C19 were five `Round Houses', four still surviving, which were intended as estate architectural features.
Within the Park is a ditched enclosure, known since at least 1837 as `The Wilderness'. This contains a central, C18, cockpit, at TM 2817 5900, and an octagonal summer house in its NE corner. The enclosure is shown on a map of 1783 and may be a Med moated site, possibly the site of the early C17 mansion (if not the same as the White House site). It is possible that the Kettleburgh road originally ran past the S end of this enclosure, towards Easton church, and was diverted when the Park was built. This may also have entailed the moving of former village houses (S3).
Photograph of `The White House' in (S4).
Apparently The White House was re-erected on site by Sir Anthony Wingfield after its removal from Tacket Street, Ipswich and was a 'Palladian' (if built in 1527 can't be Palladian!) mansion. Later passed to 10th Duke of Hamilton, who lived there. In 1874 grandson (?) built another mansion adjoining the first. Said to have been 27 bedrooms and stables for 50 horses. Pulled down in 1925 (Pers Comm Mr Peter Farley, Aug 2009, who has photographs, and an etching of 1780, and wrote a 50 page booklet - copy in Ipswich Record Office).
Comments in White's Suffolk.

See details in Lost Country Houses of Suffolk by WM Roberts.