Little Wenham Castle

Heritage listing

Details TM 03 NE LITTLE WENHAM CHURCH LANE (EAST SIDE) 3/77 Little Wenham Castle 22.2.55 sometime known as Little Wenham Hall GV I Fortified House, now used as a private museum. Believed to be circa 1260-1290 for Sir John de Vallibus and Petronilla of Nerford who suceeded him circa 1287. Later alterations include those of John Brewse circa 1569 (date over ground floor door, west wall), a wing was added at the south west corner, it is believed during C16, and has since been destroyed. Brothers Frederick and George Crisp purchased the property circa 1884 and carried out repairs and restorations C19 and C20. Timber stairs to first floor west doorway added C20 by Major A T C Binny. Of early vari-coloured brick, the base with flint, brick and septaria. Stone dressings. C16 brick to west wall chimney stack above first floor level, the stack offset, with octagonal shaft. C19 red brick and ashlar repairs. A band continues through the building, below the first floor window cills, excepting at the south west corner. Brick crenellation with moulded coping throughout. L plan, the hall running north to south with stepped angle buttress except to south west corner. The taller chapel range projects eastward at the north end of the east wall and has stepped angle buttresses to north and eastern angles. The stair turret at re-entrant angle, east wall, rises above the main ranges. There is a low level buttress to east wall of the hall below the window. Each face of each range has stone arrow slits below the crenellations. There are narrow stone lights with square heads to stair turret. Second floor of chapel range, ?solar/guardroom has a window to each external wall of 2 lights, central shafts with moulded capitals and bases, plate tracery over, 2-centred heads and labels. First floor ch

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.