June 16, 2022
Last Updated on October 19, 2022
What is Suffolk architecture? This is a question with quite a complex answer, as Suffolk architecture as we see it today is not limited to one genre or material, or even a certain era. A simple drive through the county’s winding country roads, or even a walk from one end of our county town, Ipswich, to the other, will reveal a myriad of different architectural examples, from the ancient to the eclectic.
However, Suffolk’s historic buildings tell a different story: the use of ornamental flint, an abundance of rounded church towers and, of course, Tudor and Elizabethan mansions – all typical features which characterise the county’s traditional architecture.
To give you an idea of what you might expect from Suffolk when you visit the county, we’ve put together a list of what we believe are classic examples of Suffolk architecture.
Bob Jones / Kersey ford / CC BY-SA 2.0
Ye Olde River House in Kersey was often featured on Suffolk railway posters to promote the convenience of seeing Suffolk’s beautiful villages by train.
River House was built in the 15th century, however, much of the architecture is from the Elizabethan era, including the two-storey, red brick porch which protrudes from the front of the house and, notably, the large front door. Some features were added much later, including the 18th century double-hung sashes and the 17th century chimney stack. Today, the house is still privately owned.
Built in 1472 by the prominent Wingfield family, this Grade II* listed property is of national importance, as it is one of only a handful of medieval hunting lodges in the UK. It was actually thought to have been used by Tudor royalty, and it has been discovered that the wife of Sir Richard Wingfield had written a letter to Anne Boleyn that was used to justify her beheading.
The lodge is timber-framed and surrounded by a moat on all four sides, only accessible via a timber bridge. The moat itself is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, which means it is of national importance and any works to it require scheduled monument consent from the Secretary of State – the local planning authority is unable to give consent.
We carried out a survey on this building, revealing various defects and an outstanding planning issue. In terms of the restoration, we ensured that both traditional methods and materials were used, in order to maintain sensitivity to the original design. For example, the timber framing repairs were undertaken in air dried oak to match that of the existing, and the cement render was removed and replaced with chestnut lathing and finished in a lime haired chalk render, which was to be finished in a five-coat application of limewash. Find out more about our work on this building.
John Goldsmith / Haughley Hall, with glass sculpture / CC BY-SA 2.0
Another building with links to the Tudors, Haughley Park, was built in the popular Jacobean style in 1620 by Sir John Sulyard whose family had been granted the land by Mary Tudor, sister of King Henry VIII. The house remained with the Sulyard family for nearly two centuries, receiving a Georgian style facelift of the north wing in 1820 by a new tenant, prominent solicitor William Crawford, after a fire had gutted the building.
Adhering to its Jacobean style, the house is symmetrical with large, mullioned windows, and features brick and stone throughout. The building is Grade I listed, and is surrounded by six acres of landscaped gardens. It is a private residence and only opens to the public during special events.
In February of 2019, an application for a 149-house development on the site of a disused chicken processing factory on the estate, adjacent to the house, was rejected on the grounds of being unsustainable.
Robert Edwards / West Stow Hall, West Stow, Suffolk / CC BY-SA 2.0
According to West Stow Hall, the structure was built by Sir John Croftes, a wealthy sheep farmer with links to the Dowager Queen of France and Duchess of Suffolk. He had rebuilt his family’s existing manor house in approximately 1520, leasing the remainder of West Stow from the Abbot of Bury St Edmunds six years later. In 1540, after the dissolution of the Abbey, he purchased the same from the Crown for £497.
The hall and gatehouse feature a mix of timber framing and white and red brick. The brick was introduced in the 1840s by the Rev. Benyon, who was the wealthiest clergyman in England at the time. The two structures stood separately before being linked via a collonade by the grandson of Sir John Croftes.
In the hall, the rooms on the ground floor of the house are heavily timbered, including the lounge, which features one of the largest inglenooks (the recess that adjoins a fireplace) in the county.
If you are interested in finding out more about Suffolk’s architecture, feel free to browse our portfolio. If you require surveying or architectural services, please do not hesitate to contact our team on 01284 760421.