Listed Building: BENTLEY HALL (278793)

TM 13 NW BENTLEY BENTLEY HALL LANE 4/1 22.2.55 Bentley Hall GV II* House C15/C16 with later alterations and additions. Timber framed, mainly brick herring bone nogging in fill, red brick with black header diapering to north west gable, plastered front above carved bressumer. Red brick C18 and early C19 east wing. Half H plan with gable to south west of west wing. Large original external red brick chimney stack to rear (south) of central range with 2 diagonal shafts, end ridge stack and a stack in-line with central range to west range, external end stacks to east range. Red plain tiled roofs. 2 storeys and attics. The original hall and west cross wing are jettied to front (north), the hall with a carved bressumer of foliage and heraldic beasts, 2 shields with date 1582 and initials LT (Lionel Tollemache) on one and ST (Stanhope Tollemache) on the other. The figure 2 is reversed and research by the present owners suggests the 82 is reversed and should read 1528. The 4 crosswing jetty brackets are supported by pilasters with moulded capitals. 2 storeys. First floor, 3 vertically sliding sash windows to hall, 4-light leaded casements with transoms to cross wing. Ground floor, 5-light leaded casement with transom (not original) and vari-light side mullions to hall, 4-light leaded mullion to west cross wing. Doorway with 4-centred head, sunk spandrels, nailed plank and muntin door. Various reproduction vari-light mullions or mullions with transoms to other faces and some small paned vertically sliding sashes, 3 window range of tri-partite vertically sliding sashes to east range, east face. Interior:- Much of the original frame is exposed with stop chamfered and moulded ceiling beams. Screens passage with 2 segmental headed doorways. The plastered fire surround in the hall has been restored and matches the original first floor 4-centred arch surround with sunk spandrels and red brick jambs. In the kitchen is a very large, 3-4 metres wide, red brick fireplace with chamfered jambs and 4-centred arch, there is a bake-oven to left with a 4-centred head. Brick herring bone pattern kitchen floor. Original flooring to bedrooms and landing. C17 panelled door with ironmongery, 2-board door, nailed, with many keyholes. Later features include C18 cupboard with 5 shelves, fluted pilasters with moulded capitals and bases. C18 fully panelled bedroom, another bedroom with panelled dado and panels below windows. Cast iron bedroom hobgrate, moulded surround. Regency drawing room, panelled window shutters, moulded fire surround. Homes and Gardens, January 1987. N. Pevsner Suffolk 1974. Listing NGR: TM1187038395