Historic Building Recording Site Name: The Old Hall Address: Lynn Road, Snettisham, PE31 7LR, Norfolk Grid Reference: TF6850834346 NHER Number: 1561 Planning Authority: King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council Planning Application Number: 11/01514/F Historic Environment Service Reference: CNF43749 Report Compiled by: Mr Steven Edwards Date: 27 December 2011 1 1. Description of the Proposal Proposed is to convert The Old Hall, Snettisham (the “property”) from its previous use as a residential care home back to use as single family dwelling with annex for staff accomodation. The principal aims of the design are to remove the major Sue Ryder Care Home period (1980 to 2006) inserted institutional elements from the building thereby returning the layout to something approaching earlier arrangements as a single residence. The remaining historic elements of the house will be kept. The removal of the institutional elements will primarily entail the demolition of stud walls to open up historic room sizes, demolition of a lift shaft blocking an exterior fan window, demolition of an unsympathetic staircase that cut through the middle of the 18 th century west wing, with minimal opening of walls to permit new doors that rationalise building circulation and the removal of a pvc conservatory on the west wing. There are minor exterior changes proposed. They include the addition of a ceiling lantern in the north one story 20 th century extension to create a garden room, the addition of small glazed storm porch where the current pvc conservatory currently stands. The most notable exterior change will be the demolition of the front entrance porch (early-mid 20 th century) and reinstatement of the front entrance with door surround to the central front gable at the front of the house (see section 2 historic photos for illustration). 2. Description and History of the Building Description The property dates from the early 17 th century with later additions over the course of the 18 th and early 19 th centuries. The buildings is of carstone with brick dressings under pantile roofs. The current form is basically L-shaped with the oldest part (referred to as the main hall) running east-west and the side wing (referred to as the service wing) running north-south. There is also an 18 th century coach house and stable block dating from the 18 th century to east and north east of the service wing. The hall is listed grade II* and the stable block is listed grade II. Recent History 2006 – 2011 The most recent history of the property prior to the current owners saw the property vacant from mid- 2006 after its purchase from the Sue Ryder Care Home company by KSPG Properties Ltd a property development company. Various planning applications over the course of 2007 to 2010 culminated in planning consent being granted in 2010 for subdivision of the main building into four residential apartments with conversion of the outbuildings and west wing into a further seven residential units. None of these consents were implemented. 1977 – 2006 The property was purchased by Sue Ryder from the estate of Lady Strickland bringing the end of over 300 years of single family use and was converted into a 50 bedroom nursing home. The conversion stripped out a significant amount of the historic detail of the property in the service wing, part of the ground and 2 first floor of the main hall and the attic rooms. The main historic elements that remain are cornicing detail in the drawing room, library, and stair hall. The regency staircase was retained as was the panelling in one of the first floor bedrooms. Service staircases in the main hall were removed and replaced with a lift shaft. Multiple rooms were partitioned to create more bedrooms. Throughout the property doors and architraved were removed and brought up institutional fire code. Most floorboard were removed and replaced with chip board and carpet overlay. Almost all laith and plaster walls were replaced with stud walls and plasterboard. Two chimneypieces remain – one in the library and one in the drawing room. Pre 1977 See Appendix I for excerpts from “The Old Hall, Snettisham” by Stephen Thomas, Historic Landscpape Management, October 2008 3 Historic Photographs Evolution of Front Elevation The Old Hall circa 1870 The Old Hall circa 1908 The Old Hall circa 1952 4 3. Photographs of the building No. Description 1 Front elevation facing north 2 Front elevation facing northwest/west 3 Side view facing west towards east elevation 4 Facing west towards east and north elevations 5 Facing south towards north elevation 6 Facing south towards north elevation 7 Facing south towads west corner end o f north elevation 8 Facing east toward west elevation 9 Facing southeast towards west elevation and one story extension 10 Facing west towards east elevation of carriage house 11 Facing north towards south elevation of stable block 12 Facing west towards towards service entrance on Lynn Road 13 Facing north in current entrance hall towards main staircase 14 Facing north towards main staircase 15 Cailing detail of main staircase hall 16 Ceiling detail of main staicase hall first floor landing 17 Facing east in drawing room 18 Cornicing detail drawing room 19 Fire surround stones (not original to spot as found under floor boards to drawing room circa 1978) 20 Detail of fire surround stone 21 Facing west from library toward main staircase hal l 22 Panelled room first floor 23 Panelled room first floor 24 Panelled room first floor 25 Master bedroom facing est 26 Bedroom facing southeast 27 Bedroom window centre gable of front elevation facing south 5 6 7 1. Front elevation facing north 2. Front elevation facing northwest/west 8 3. Side view facing west towards east elevation 4. Facing west towards east and north elevations 9 5. Facing south towards north elevation 6. Facing south towards north elevation 10 7. Facing south towards west corner of north elevation 11 8. Facing east towards west elevation 9. Facing southeast towards west elevation and single story extension 12 10. Facing west towards east elevation of carriage house 11. Facing north towards south elevation of stable block 13 12. Facing west towards service entrance on Lynn Road 14 13. Facing north in current entrance hall towards main staircase 14. Facing north towards main staircase 15 15. Ceiling detail of main staircase hall 16. Ceiling detail of main staircase hall first floor landing 16 17. Facing east in drawing room 18. Cornicing detail in drawing room 17 19. Fire surround stones current dining room (not original as found under floorboards to drawing room circa 1979) 20. Detail of fire surround stones 18 21. Facing west from library to main staircase hall 19 22. Panelled room first floor 23. Panelled room first floow 20 24. Panelled room first floor 21 25. Master bedroom facing west 22 26. Bedroom facing southeast 27. Bedroom window centre gable of front elevation facing south 23 4. Plans Of The Building: Existing and Proposed Ground Floor Existing 24 First Floor Existing 25 Ground Floor Proposed First Floor Proposed 26 Elevations Current Elevations Proposed 27 APPENDIX BUILDING HISTORY PRE-1977 As Excerpted from “The Old Hall Snettisham” by Stephen Thomas, Historic Landscape Management, October 2008 Introduction This section outlines the history of the ownerships and development of the Old Hall at Snettisham. It has been prepared from existing published sources coupled with a one day visit to the Norfolk Record Office and Heritage Studies Library in Norwich. An initial assessment of the archives suggests that there will be more detailed information on property ownership and possibly on building and landscape developments at Old Hall, but this would involve considerable time in going through title deeds, indentures and other family records now mostly contained in the Le Strange papers. Initial research suggests that Pevsner 1 is correct to say that the hall has a complicated building history, although changes and alterations to the landscape appear to be more straightforward. Early History of the Manor The first certain references to the manor land holdings at Snettisham come in the Saxon period when it appears to have been held by Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury 2. Following the Norman Conquest the manor was granted to Odo, Bishop of Bayeux and half brother of William the Conqueror. The title of Lord of the Manor was still in his possession at the time of the Domesday Book in 1085, although Odo was latter deprived of his holdings, including Snettisham by William II 3. Snettisham manor was subsequently granted to William de Albini, the King’s butler and ancestor of the Earls of Sussex. On the death of Hugh, Earl of Sussex and Arundel in 1243 his estates were divided between his sisters and coheirs. The lordship of Snettisham appears to have been granted to Lady Isabel, his wife. In 1286 it was recorded that Lady Isabel had held a capital messuage, a windmill, 120 acres of land, a fishery and pasture by the sea at Snettisham. On Isabel’s death the manor passed by marriage to Roger de Montealto or Lord Montalt. On Lord Montalt’s death the manor was settled on Isabella who is described by Blomefield as the Dowager Queen of England. It is possible that Blomefield means Isabella Mortimer (who with her husband Robert had been involved in the disposition of Edward II - the date is therefore post 1326, possibly c.1358 4). Thus Snettisham manor became crown property and by the time Henry IV succeeded to the throne in 1399, it had become part of the Duchy of Lancaster (having been granted to the son of Edward III in 1373).