NHER 16214 (Building record) - Banhams Farm, Browick

July 1972. Listed Grade II.

June 1980. Field Observation.
Remarkable building.
Now T-shaped, the north-to-south block, clad in early 19th century brick, is Elizabethan. On ground floor north of central stack is overmantel in Renaissance style with ER monogram, old-style royal arms, and other initials presumably of builder. There is said to be a similar but less ornate fireplace upstairs. The actual fireplace itself has been bricked up in recent times. The chimney stack is multi-angled and remarkable. Beams in ground floor rooms are very ornate 16th century, making it thus less likely that the overmantel is reset from elsewhere. They are unusually ornate for so small a house. East-to-west block is dated 1733 with 'BIS' on keystone and has rusticated brick pilasters and two colours of brick; much altered, 19th century extension covers part of it; another such on east.
Part of the east-to-west block is abandoned. Most of house was so until around 40 years ago, being used as a laundry.
Outside east door, used as rockery, pile of terracotta? fragments of figures in Elizabethan? dress, lions heads etc;
Perhaps earlier and from a tomb (at Wymondham Abbey?) or perhaps from the façade of a terracotta-faced building.
House tenanted.
Compiled by E. Rose (NAU), 4 June 1980. Information from record card (S1).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 20 March 2022.

1995.
Listing Description (S2) states house is a lobby-entrance plan of around 1570. Interior of older block has heavy timber framing with expanded posts and tension braces. Roof has two tiers of butt purlins and windbraces. Room south of stack has bridging beam with ribbon lead trail mouldings and bar stops; fireplace inserted in inglenook with stopped chamfers. Room north of stack has reused spine beam with interlace carving and no stops. The initials on the fireplace described, beside the royal arms, are VK and AK and there are a merman and mermaid as supporters. On upper floor north room has 18th century fireplace with griffins, with initials VK, PK and RK. Compiler suggests the initials refer to the Kett family.
Compiled by E. Rose (NLA), 4 May 1995.

October 2003. Building Survey.
Possible evidence for hall house of two cells. Crosswing of uncertain date. Main two-cell block with elaborate ground floor ceiling beams of late 16th century, fireplace with arms of Elizabeth I. Brick façade of crosswing dated 1733. Late 18th century first floor fireplace. Remainder of exterior of building replaced in brick at various dates in 19th century. In garden, pile of terracotta fragments perhaps from an early 16th century tomb.
See (S3).
E. Rose (NLA), 28 October 2003.

Excerpt of current Listing Description:
"Farmhouse. Early 17th century and later. Brick. Pantiled roofs. Lobby-entrance plan. Main front to north-west. Two storeys in three bays. Central panelled door, its case with fluted pilaster strips and a flat hood. Three-light early 19th-century metal casements under segmental arches. Centre first-floor window is blind. Gabled roof with a sloping dormer to right of ridge stack. Cross wing extends west from south end: gabled, two-storeyed and with tumbling. Used for farm storage."
Information from (S2).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S2) for the full listing details.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 20 March 2022.