NHER 40101 (Building record) - Reydon House, 1 Redenhall Road

No 1 Redenhall Road, Reydon House. Harleston.

September 1951. Listed, Grade II*.
Listing Description:
17th-century timber-framed, stuccoed and with 18th century fenestration. Steeply pitched slate roof with gable ends. Two storeys and attic. (Attic window in gable end). Five windows, sashes with glazing bars in exposed casing. Central doorway with moulded case with pulvinated frieze and moulded cornice, flush panelled and glazed door, good porch of wood fretwork with tent-shaped roof, and approached by five moulded stone steps. Wood string course at first floor level. Rear has large two-storeyed 17th-century wing, plastered timber-framing, with steeply pitched pantile roof with gabled end, casement windows. Brick chimney stacks.
Information from (S1).
Pevsner (S2) refers to Reydon House as Heydon House.
R. Fillery-Travis (NHE), 12th January 2007.

Complex L-shaped building. Timber framed, rear wing apparently a medieval first floor hall with crownpost roof. Front range jettied, very elaborate ceilings, probably a remodelling around 1500 when similar ceilings put in rear range, also a fireplace. Reduced in size around 1600. Extra block added around 1700 when interior altered; further alterations in the 19th century. In curtilage is ornate 18th to 19th century summerhouse (NHER 64503), 19th century stable, green house and coach house and remains of formal garden.
See report (S3) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 20 January 2004.

2004.
Upgraded to II*. New listing makes reference to connections with the Gawdy family.
E. Rose (NLA), 1 June 2004.

Amended Listing Description:
House. Late C15/early C16 with C17 extension and C18 and later alterations. Timber framed, stuccoed and with C18 fenestration. Steeply pitched slate roof to front slope, otherwise pantile. Two stories and attic with attic window in left gable end.
Plan of main range facing street with adjoining parallel rear wings. Front is of five windows, 6/6 sashes in exposed casing. Central doorway with molded case with pulvinated frieze and molded cornice, flush paneled and glazed door, good porch of wood fretwork with tent-shaped roof, and approached by five molded stone steps. Wood string course at first floor level. Rear has large two-storied wings, plastered timber-framing, with steeply pitched pantile roof with gabled end, casement windows.
Brick chimneystacks. The late C17 inner wing is of brick with a fine chequerwork brick front and has mullion and transom windows and also 4 probably original 9/9 sashes with crown glass and thick glazing bars.
INTERIOR. The very interesting interior includes a considerable amount of late C15/early C16 timber framing. This is visible or is partly so under the floorboards. In the main range above the present ground floor plastered ceilings survive the beamed ceilings of the early high status house. These have molded and possibly carved bridging beams and molded joists and the rooms are both high and large. The roof above the main range appears to have been renewed in the C17. The longer and outer rear wing, however, retains its original crown post roof with coupled rafters, and 4 simple crown posts supporting the collar purlin. In this wing is viisble close studded framing of heavy scantling on both floors and above the present plastered ceilings the original bridging beams and joists survive, reported as unmoulded. Moreover an unusual low pitched ceiling has recently been further revealed on the first floor. This has moulded beams and joists and is unusual because it appears to be a consciously designed ceiling inserted under the tie beams of the crown post roof as if for a study or cabinet. The back stairs are also reported as surviving intact.
Another ceiling at present revealed has closely spaced flat-faced joists. The beams and joists also survive in the inner wing which is probably late C17.
The front left reception retains fine complete paneling in C17 style but which appears to have been installed in the 1860s. The front right reception room has an early C19 fireplace. On the first floor the right gable end has a jowled post with curved braces visible. A rear wing main reception room has an open fireplace with moulded bressumer. Many 2-panel doors and cupboard doors.
HISTORY: Percy Millican links this house with the Gawdy family, prominent in Norfolk and Suffolk in the late C15 and C16/C17. Robert Gawdy died at nearby Redenhall in 1459. His descendant, Thomas Gawdy, born c.1476, died 1556, is described as Bailiff of Harleston in 1509. His eldest son Thomas, Recorder of Norwich and Lynn mid C16, and his other two sons, Sir Thomas Gawdy, Justice of the Queen's Bench and Sir Francis Gawdy, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas.
This significant house retains a considerable amount of the structure of a high status house of the late C15/early C16 as well as good features of later periods.

The 19th-century summerhouse in the garden of Reydon House was listed Grade II in 1990 and is now recorded separately as NHER 64503.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 November 2020.