NHER 8131 (Building record) - Catton Hall

18 May 1977. Visit.
Late Georgian, plastered. South front with two bay windows, one at each end, with good ironwork balconies at first floor level. Later block to east of eastern bay connects by a curving Tuscan colonade to a fine conservatory with cast iron pillars. Dentilled cornice on north and east sides. Square bay added to north with flat corner pilasters. Now restored and used as old people's home. Fluted stone pillar reused as lamp on path to north. Park was Repton's earliest work (1788).
E. Rose (NAU), 18 May 1977.

1985.
Architect: William Wilkins. Conservatory was added as Camelia House between 1852 and 1860 and is almost identical to one built by Boardman at Hanworth Hall, now demolished, in 1870s. It seems to have some early Boulton and Paul items in it.
E. Rose (NAU),15 March 1985.

1994.
No longer an old people's home.
See (S1) in file and large rolled plans.
E. Rose (NLA).

October 2002. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with extension. No contexts used.
No features or finds of archaeological significance were recorded.
See report (S2) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2022.337).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 5 August 2004. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 16 December 2022.

November 2002.
(S3) dates the building to circa 1780, but the ironwork on the bay windows is late 19th century. The infill wing to the north is a 19th century library and the west wing is also 19th century, but the colonnade connecting to the orangery is 20th century. The interior is said to have 18th century staircase, panelling, Ionic columns, cornices and fireplaces, with Edwardian decoration on the floor landing. The curving wing connecting the west extension was examined by the author; it has bricks dating to after about 1770 and is indeed probably 19th century.
E. Rose (NLA), 18 November 2002.

The building was a military convalescent home during World War Two. (S4) says that stained glass from here was removed to Plumstead near Holt church, but (S5) says this came from the church.
E. Rose (NLA), 26 February 2003.

February 2003.
Visit to inspect remarkable set of 18th century cellars discovered under lawns, with 19th century tunnel from west - possibly for conversion to ice store?
See (S6).
E. Rose (NLA), 26 February 2003.