# Bessingham Manor (Norfolk) - a last visit



## hamishsfriend (Mar 29, 2011)

I have to admit that we have grown quite fond of this fascinating old house and therefore we decided to pay it another visit, this time to explore the outbuildings and the wash-house out back. On our arrival we met three workmen who were busy removing small items of furniture, fixtures and fittings and other paraphernalia that can easily be transported. They were happy for us to have a look around and one of them even mentioned Neil (manof2worlds), whom they'd met last week, saying that he had seen (and greatly admired) his pictures. It was nice to be able to explore at our leisure out in the open, where on previous visits we had taken care not to be seen.







The bell is still in place.






The outbuildings adjoin the main building in the east. They comprise a number of small storage sheds and possibly a workshop, one built onto the other, with a privvy tucked away in the smallest of them. 


























At the other end of the row of outbuildings, accessible via a narrow passageway, there is a big gap, bordered by a wall at one end and the east elevation of the manor house at the other. It is obvious that this gap was once filled by a two-storey high annexe (?) to the main house. 











Roof and floors are long gone and there is no clue as to what might have been above, but it was a wash-house that once occupied the ground floor. There are a number of fireplaces of various types, some still with the coppers in place, and there is a stone sink below a window at one end. 
















Moving on to the south side of the manor house, we found an old brick shed without a roof and with its door missing.
















A bit further along we spot a waterpump. It would have replaced the older waterpumps we had seen in the kitchen, at the back of what we think might have been greenhouses. The air is heavy with the smell of wild garlic that is growing here in great abundance. More coppers, all of them broken, are littering the ground.











After a while we were joined by two local lads and an elderly gentleman who had also come to have a look around. They were able to give us some interesting information about the more recent previous owners. I've already mentioned Edmund Denham Spurrell's bear in another post. The bear, we were told, arrived at the manor together with its owner, who had returned from India in order to take on his heritage after the death of his parents in 1906. One day, however, the animal escaped and injured a housemaid and several other people, and as a consequence it was put down. We were wondering where the bear would have been kept. In one of the rooms in the cellar? 






A photo of Denham with the bear is believed to still exist. We also learned that Denham’s horse is buried in the grounds surrounding the manor – standing upright. The elderly gentleman could not remember the spot but he did remember the garden fetes that used to be held here when he was young. Edmund D Spurrell must have been quite a character. Once, after having caused an accident by driving straight across a crossroads where he should have given way, his defence was that he thought the other cars would have stopped for him. He even learnt to fly at the age of 91 so he could visit a friend. After his death, the manor went to his nephew, Ronald Hitchcock, who died in 1970. 

The property was then acquired by Mr Robert Gamble, who eventually found himself overwhelmed by the cost of maintenance and repair of the building, which over the years had suffered massive water damage that resulted in the collapse of the upper floors. 






For some years, the Gambles lived in the grand house, with Mrs Gamble regularly hosting exhibitions featuring her paintings. Then they had to move into the static caravan that can still be seen parked next to the manor. We found printed invitations to one such exhibition on a windowsill, revealing that Mrs Gambles' artist's name was Mary l'Anson.* And then we found one of the artist's works hanging on a wall above a collapsed staircase. 

*I am guessing that this name was chosen because the ground the manor house stands on used to be owned by the Anson family, before John Spurrell acquired it in the late 18th century.
















Surely this must be a unique use for a door - put on its side, it has been affixed to the wall for some reason.






We also found this chamber pot and a few other details that we had missed on previous visits.











A number of the tall trees surrounding the house have already been felled and there are more that are marked with white crosses. Workmen have now started to clear out the house. We were told that a journalist working for Country Life is expected to visit within the next month or so as they intend to feature the property in their magazine, presumably in an effort to attract more buyers. We think that the house will not be demolished before the jounalist's visit.






The older locals will have their memories and, according to reports in the local papers, one of the younger generation of Spurrells, Jonathan, is planning to write a book about the history of the manor, so it won't be forgotten. http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/bid_to_unlock_secrets_of_norfolk_manor_1_478885


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## King Al (Mar 29, 2011)

This place looks like it has a lot of character, good stuff hamishsfriend


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## hamishsfriend (Mar 29, 2011)

King Al said:


> This place looks like it has a lot of character, good stuff hamishsfriend



Many thanks.  Look out for the other Bessingham Manor threads on here, if you are interested. They show more of the interior in much better pics than I took when in there.


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## UrbanX (Mar 29, 2011)

Wow, now that's a history! 
I'm not at all bored by another report, fantastic building and top notch write up!


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## smiler (Mar 29, 2011)

Fascinating, loved the history of the place, well researched and reported, sound job, well done and Thanks for sharing.


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## hamishsfriend (Mar 29, 2011)

UrbanX said:


> Wow, now that's a history!
> I'm not at all bored by another report, fantastic building and top notch write up!



Thank you for your kind comment!


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## hamishsfriend (Mar 29, 2011)

smiler said:


> Fascinating, loved the history of the place, well researched and reported, sound job, well done and Thanks for sharing.



Thanks! I am glad to read that you enjoyed the pics, and also that you did not find the info too long-winded.


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## Foxylady (Mar 30, 2011)

I love this even better than the main house reports. Such a lot of character and so many interesting remains in the outbuildings. Lots of history and info too. 
Excellent stuff.


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## hamishsfriend (Mar 30, 2011)

> I love this even better than the main house reports.



Thank you, *Foxylady*. I am glad you enjoyed it. I have just this morning received some more information as to where the bear was kept, and I think that another visit (the final last visit) is called for. I doubt that there will be much (if anything) to see, though.


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## Em_Ux (Mar 30, 2011)

I really enjoyed reading the history and looking at your photos. 

A fantastic report....Thank you!


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