South Elmham Hall
| South Elmham Hall | |
| Suffolk | |
|---|---|
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| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TM30718322 |
| Location: | 52°23’54"N, 1°23’23"E |
| Village: | St Cross South Elmham |
| History | |
| Country house | |
| Information | |
South Elmham Hall is a former Bishop's palace found in St Cross South Elmham, Suffolk. It is surrounded by a four-acre moat and was formerly the country residence of the Bishop of Norwich.
The site includes some ruins dating from the 13th and 14th centuries. However the main extant building is a 16th century manor house with some alterations from the 17th and 19th centuries.[1] It is a Grade I listed building.[2] The building contains primarily 16th century architecture, alongside 15th century arches constructed during the Bishops' ownership of South Elmham Hall.
Within the site is a mediæval stone barn called 'Bateman's Barn', now used as a wedding venue.[3]
The primary attraction of the South Elmham area to the Bishops was the hunting opportunities provided by a deer park established in the local area.[4] This was not without problems with reports of the deer being poached by the residents of St Cross in 1315. The Hall also hosted royal family members on several occasions, most notably in 1326 when Edward II stayed for ten days on his way to Norwich, carrying out government business during his stay there.[4] The remains of previous buildings and settlements nearby to the hall have long since decayed, although around 45 detailed surviving records in the Suffolk Record Office indicate the area used to contain stables, mews and gatehouses.[4]
The ruins of one of the gatehouses survives and can be still be seen today. South Elmham Hall also has the earliest domestic wall paintings in Suffolk, dating from 1270.[4]
The original of the earlier buildings is thought by some be connected the Bishops of Elmham, a bishopric that lasted from 672 to 1075. The see was replaced in that year by that of Norwich. The seat of the Bishops of Elmham might however have been in North Elmham in Norfolk.
References
- ↑ "Heritage Gateway - Results". Heritage Gateway. https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=391726&resourceID=19191.
- ↑ National Heritage List 1031966: South Elmham Hall (Grade I listing)
- ↑ "Historic Venue, Conference and Wedding Facility at South Elmham Hall, Suffolk". http://www.batemansbarn.co.uk/.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Sanderson, John (22 March 2016). "History of the Hall". http://www.batemansbarn.co.uk/hall.php.