Listed Building: THE MANOR HOUSE (280456)

TM 07 NE WORTHAM LOW ROAD (SOUTH SIDE) 1/165 The Manor House (formerly 29.7.55 listed as Wortham Manor) GV II* Large house. Mid C17 with earlier origins, raised and altered C18, extended C19, all for the Betts family. Timber frame and red brick, all plastered and colourwashed. Plaintiled rofs. Vestigial H plan in a narrow 6 bay range with cross gabled ends, service buildings to rear. 2 storeys and attics. 1:4:1 garden elevation, almost symmetrical. Blocked openings to centre, that on first floor with a fluted key blocked gauged brick round arch, flanking glazing bar sashes in moulded frames, slightly recessed with gauged brick flat arched heads, that on ground floor to left of centre replaced by a two-thirds glazed door, raised in C18 with smaller sashes in attic. Plinth, mutuled eaves cornice, brickwork projects slightly towards outer bays with blocked openings, offsets to original eaves. Gable fronted outer bays have 2 storey C18 canted bays with recessed similar sashes, cyma moulded cornices to flat heads, recessed sashes in bargeboarded gables, lower ridge to left gable. To right on main ridge which was raised to retain steep pitch is a large axial ridge stack, a recessed panel in base, moulded to shaft with 2 by 1 arched panels, moulded to capping. A similar but slightly smaller stack is internal at left end of main ridge. Left gable end exposed brick, blocked windows, moulded plat band and kneelers to a shaped gable, triple curves, central concave and upper and lower convex separated by steps. Plain right gable end with first floor and attic 3 pane sashes. To rear a gable behind right hand cross gabled bay. Behind main stack an early C19 gabled stair turret with sashes which is an addition to a lower C17 service range of 4 bays, roofed parallel to main range. A 2 storey and attic gabled kitchen wing projects slightly further back, ground floor brick casing with plat band to first floor, mixed fenestration, exposed plates and purlins. 2 dairy bays to right have ground floor 3 and 5-light casements, first floor small C19 sashes, a stack in raised roof, pantiled with a shallow pitch continuing over C19 laundry range, on ridge a moulded timber open cupola with a leaded ogee head, 3 stacks, later brick range of about 4 bays has mixed fenestration, oversailing timber framed upper storey to rear facing a small service yard enclosed by a 1 storey pantry and coal shed lean-to attached to left gable of main range with a sash to garden. Interior: entrance into a room with C18 raised panelling, dentilled cornice, false door; 'hall' has a stop chamfered binding beam, some exposed close studding, segmental arched firplace, panelled surround with fluted pilasters; in chimney breast an early safe, key blocked round opening, classical relief on iron door. To far left a cyma moulded binding beam, to far right a reset early C17 overmantel with fluted pilasters, 3 carved panels, C19 Gothic doors with some stained glass. Early C19 dogleg staircase with slat balusters, moulded ramped handrail. First floor: some C18 panelling, ovolo and cavetto moulded binding beams, butt purlin roof. Service range has some exposed framing with ogee stop chamfered axial and cross axial binding beams, some C17 panelling, stop chamfered door jambs, double butt purlin roof with collars and windbraces. Attached to rear and extending about 80m along road is a red brick wall of C17, C18 and C19 with much English bond brickwork. About 3m high, plinth, rounded coping, pilaster buttresses, ramped up towards house, angled back into garden at far end, a Gothic arched opening with a spear headed railed gate. (K.F. Doughty, The Betts of Wortham in Suffolk: 1480-1905, 1912). Listing NGR: TM0782379749