Crimplesham Hall
Encyclopedia
Crimplesham Hall is a Grade II Listed manor house in Crimplesham
, Norfolk
, England
. Although records indicate a house existed at the site as far back as 1040, the current house was completed in 1881 and designed by Alfred Waterhouse
.
In 1881 John Grant Morris paid for a new hall to be built and gave it to his daughter as a wedding present. She married a local landowner Sir Alfred Bagge RN
, second son of Sir W Bagge MP
for West Norfolk, between 1837–1859 and 1865 - 1881. The new hall, a 10-bedroom mansion of white brick structure set in a wooded park, was designed in 1880 by Alfred Waterhouse
(1830–1905) and it was erected in 1881. The first payment was on the 30th July 1880, and the last payment on the 17th November 1881. The payments totalled £6,994 and 15 Shillings. £5,994 and 15 Shillings being the construction costs and £1000 for the finishings. The finishings were from Maples in London and were of very high quality, particularly the fine doors and other woodwork of matched Canadian Pine.
The house design was very modern for the time, with warm air ducted central heating to all the rooms, its own electricity generator in the stable block, and its own sewerage system and water supply.
In the garden are an artificial lake and a fine Victorian folly
in the form of a Gothic
Chapel, the materials of which are thought to have come from the ruins of West Dereham Abbey
or a building reclaim yard. It may predate the new house.
Waterhouse had previously built for Morris Allerton Priory
, near Liverpool; he later built also a villa near Cannes
.
. Bible Society
meetings were held in the house from time to time.
Crimplesham
Crimplesham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated 4 km west of the small town of Downham Market, 20 km south of the larger town of King's Lynn, and 60 km west of the city of Norwich....
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Although records indicate a house existed at the site as far back as 1040, the current house was completed in 1881 and designed by Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse was a British architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. He is perhaps best known for his design for the Natural History Museum in London, and Manchester Town Hall, although he also built a wide variety of other buildings throughout the...
.
History
There are records of a manor here since 1040.
In June 1781 the previous house was advertised for rent in the Norfolk Chronicle and described thus:-
“To be Lett, and entered upon at Old Michaelmas next, all that modern built Capital Messuage situate in Crimplesham, in the County of Norfolk; consisting of a Hall, two Parlours, four very good Lodging Rooms, and compleat Garrets, Kitchen, Dairy, Pantry, Cellars, and other convenient Offices, Coach-house and Stabling for eight Horses, with a Granary over the same, Dove-cote well stocked with pigeons, Yards and Garden, well planted with Fruit Trees, with an Orchard and Paddock adjoining, containing together, by Estimation, five Acres, and with or without eighteen Acres of excellent Pasture Ground, now in the Occupation of Mr James Drew. The said Premisses exceedingly well adapted for the Residence of a Gentleman fond of Country Diversions, and are pleasantly situate within half a Mile of the Turnpike Road from Lynn to London, three of Downham-market, nine of Swaffham, and ten of Lynn, all considerable Market Towns”.
In 1881 John Grant Morris paid for a new hall to be built and gave it to his daughter as a wedding present. She married a local landowner Sir Alfred Bagge RN
Bagge Baronets
The Bagge Baronetcy, of Stradsett Hall in the County of Norfolk, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 13 April 1867 for William Bagge, Conservative Member of Parliament for West Norfolk...
, second son of Sir W Bagge MP
Bagge Baronets
The Bagge Baronetcy, of Stradsett Hall in the County of Norfolk, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 13 April 1867 for William Bagge, Conservative Member of Parliament for West Norfolk...
for West Norfolk, between 1837–1859 and 1865 - 1881. The new hall, a 10-bedroom mansion of white brick structure set in a wooded park, was designed in 1880 by Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse was a British architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. He is perhaps best known for his design for the Natural History Museum in London, and Manchester Town Hall, although he also built a wide variety of other buildings throughout the...
(1830–1905) and it was erected in 1881. The first payment was on the 30th July 1880, and the last payment on the 17th November 1881. The payments totalled £6,994 and 15 Shillings. £5,994 and 15 Shillings being the construction costs and £1000 for the finishings. The finishings were from Maples in London and were of very high quality, particularly the fine doors and other woodwork of matched Canadian Pine.
The house design was very modern for the time, with warm air ducted central heating to all the rooms, its own electricity generator in the stable block, and its own sewerage system and water supply.
In the garden are an artificial lake and a fine Victorian folly
Folly
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
in the form of a Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
Chapel, the materials of which are thought to have come from the ruins of West Dereham Abbey
West Dereham Abbey
West Dereham Abbey was an abbey in Norfolk, England.St Mary’s Abbey, West Dereham, was founded in 1188 by Hubert Walter, Dean of York, at his birthplace. It was to be a daughter house of Welbeck Abbey , Nottinghamshire, for canons regular of the Premonstratensian order...
or a building reclaim yard. It may predate the new house.
Waterhouse had previously built for Morris Allerton Priory
Allerton Priory
Allerton Priory, Liverpool, England, is a Grade II* listed building designed by Alfred Waterhouse.It has been a home for the elderly, nuns once ran it as a refuge for Irish girls. It was temporary certified 18 May 1916 for 15 girls, re-certified 1917 as a mixed school as Allerton Priory Special...
, near Liverpool; he later built also a villa near Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
.
Notable residents
In 1845, the former building was occupied by Mrs Elizabeth Doyle, an eminent Quaker and close friend of Elizabeth FryElizabeth Fry
Elizabeth Fry , née Gurney, was an English prison reformer, social reformer and, as a Quaker, a Christian philanthropist...
. Bible Society
Bible society
A Bible society is a non-profit organization devoted to translating, publishing, distributing the Bible at affordable costs and advocating its credibility and trustworthiness in contemporary cultural life...
meetings were held in the house from time to time.