Listed Building: ABBOT'S HALL (384581)

STOWMARKET TM0458 CROWE STREET 614-1/4/57 (South West side) 28/07/50 Abbot's Hall GV II* House. Dated 1709 on stack, large additions to the south and west elevations are 1896-1910. Brown brick with red brick dressings. Plain tile roofs. C18 house of 2 storeys and dormer attic in 5 bays. Central 4-panelled door within doorcase under swan-necked pediment with swag. Sashes are mid C19 with irregular 6/6 glazing bars. Gauged skewback arches. Moulded platband between storeys and modillion eaves cornice, both continuous round house. Hipped roof with 5 pedimented dormer, 2 of which are alternately segmentally-pedimented. They have sashes as before. East and west returns formerly with 2 partly external stacks gabled back to roof line, separated by a pedimented dormer. These remain to east return but west return has late C19 extension built against it. Rear (south) elevation with same general disposition as front: 5 bays, 2 storeys and dormer attic, the latter with alternating pedimented and segmentally-pedimented dormers. Platband at first floor more elaborate, central first-floor sash enlarged to illuminate staircase. Sashes have 6/6 glazing bars, exposed boxes and flush frames. Ground floor with low hipped extension to south-east room (drawing room) fitted with plate glass sashes without glazing bars. To its left a C20 porch extension with a plate-glass window replaces a door. West and south-west extensions constructed in 2 phases, 1896, and c1910, first of one storey, then a second added and an extra 2-bay wing to rear. Sashes, platband, modillion eaves cornice, pedimented dormers all done to match. INTERIOR. Entrance hall with late C19 fireplace within reeded timber surround. Good staircase to rear of hall, doubtless of 1709. Open string with scrolled tread ends. 2 twisted balusters to the tread and balusters grouped in clusters of 4 as newels. Each baluster alternates in pitch of twist. Moulded handrail and large-framed dado panelling. South-east drawing room with a very late C19 marble fireplace inserted after the hipped extension built. Modillion cornice to room. (Double H: Stowmarket - A Book of Records: Stowmarket: 1983-: 151; Museum of Rural Life: Guide: Norwich: 1988-: 14). Listing NGR: TM0485458523