NHER 2859 (Building record) - Bishop Bonner's Cottages Museum

June 1978. Survey.
Bishop Bonner's Cottages Museum.
Reputed birthplace of Bishop Bonner. Dated to 1502; this date has been added later but A. Carter (UEA) says part of the building could be this old. Possibly the almshouses mentioned in will of 1536. 17th century pargetting with original colouring now restored. Thatched. Two storeys, upper storey being dormers, but projecting as jetty at south end. Former home of Walter Rye.
E. Rose (NAU), 27 June 1978.

February 1992. Survey.
Bishop Bonner's Cottages Museum.
Timber framed building, allegedly of 1502 but this date is a later addition and may be spurious, relating to the birth of Bishop Bonner. Oldest parts of building may not be earlier than 1580, extended in 17th century with fine pargetting. Now in use as museum.
See (S1) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 14 February 1992.

March 1995. Repair works.
Repair works to the east wall involved removal of rotten sill beam. The wall of the central section above this was of wattle and daub between widely spaced studwork. There was brickwork in the east wall inline with the stack between the south and southern cells indicating that the passage originally a closet had been constructed as part of the stack, or perhaps a brick fire gable to an originally detached southern cell. Outside the south wall a well was found beneath a dome of recent bricks; the well was formed of brick but it was not possible to date from above. It still contained water and was probed to a total depth of 5m (17 feet).
E. Rose (NLA), 27th March 1995.

September 2000.
(S2) dates the whole range to the early 17th century.

December 2008.
Proposal to remove and rebuild the brick plinth and carry out other general repairs including lime render repairs, repointing of brickwork and flintwork and redecoration.
See (S3) for further information
H. White (NLA), 4 February 2009

July 2009.
£15,000 renovation work completed.
See (S4),
H. White (NLA), 6 July 2009