# Dunston Hall, Norfolk - A Retrospective



## Paulytwotanks (Oct 27, 2013)

This is not the usual type of report for Derelict Places, but I hope it wont be 'pitted' because I feel it has a place here. If only to show that sometimes with crumbling buildings, there can be light at the end of the tunnel! So this is a report on a magnificent house just south of Norwich, that for decades was left to rot, before being rescued and transformed.

I first visited this place as a 12 year old way back in 1975. It was derelict then and owned by the Wallace Kings furiture store who had formerly used it as a warehouse storage facility. My mother knew the lady who lived in a house nearby and it was she who had taken us for a walk down the overgrown drive to this magnificent building. To say I was blown away as the house came into view through the woods is an understatement. 

Years went by and the place continued to degrade. 10 years after my first visit I had the chance to visit again, when my mother told me a guy had just bought it and had plans to turn it into a hotel. His name was Nigel Weeden. I contacted him and he was happy for me to go and have a wander around. I didn't know what to expect when I got there, but he was friendly, enthusiastic and just let me wander off to do my own thing which I was pleased about!

I don't have a great deal on the history, but the present hall was built on the site of a much older hall in 1859 by a local squire, Robert Kellet Long. The mansion stayed in the Long family for generations until 1957 when the hall was purchased by furniture store Wallace Kings for use as a storage depot. I remember a tv news report in the late 70's where an eccentric old man had bought it and planned to turn it into a music school for deaf people. This never materialised. The next I heard was when Nigel Weeden took the place on. The place is now owned by the De Vere group of hotels, and I'm guessing it is they who funded the bulk of the renovation and expansion costs. I don't know if Nigel Weeden is still involved. The house is now just one part of a sprawling complex that includes a health club, golf club and large accomodation buildings, that are sympathetic in fascade to the original mock Elizabethan manor. In my view however, the charm it held back in 1985 has been severely compromised by the large additions, but a building that may have been lost, has after all been saved. 

On with the photo's They contain a group of the 35mm film shots I took back in November '85 and digital comparisons from October 2013.





































And in 2013.... I have tried to re-create some of the original shots:


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## UrbanX (Oct 27, 2013)

As a 'regular' to this place now, I can really appreciate these photos! 
Really love this place as it is now, and never knew it was ever in this condition. 
Thank you so much for sharing!


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## krela (Oct 28, 2013)

It's really great to see something go from derelict to being well used, thanks for this!


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## gingerwonder (Oct 28, 2013)

Thank you! It's lovely to actually see a beautiful house restored rather than just left to rot. As much as I like the dereliction side of things it is still a shame to see grand houses or our previous life of huge industrialisation abandoned, unwanted and unloved.


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## Paulytwotanks (Oct 28, 2013)

Thanks for your kind comments, and thanks Krela for sorting out my font size!


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## krela (Oct 28, 2013)

Paulytwotanks said:


> Thanks for your kind comments, and thanks Krela for sorting out my font size!



No problem.


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## MD (Oct 28, 2013)

great stuff 
thanks


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## flyboys90 (Oct 28, 2013)

Beautiful Gothic features,thanks for sharing.


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## Catmandoo (Oct 28, 2013)

Wow! Unusual to see reports like this.
This is really good! Makes me want to dig through some old negs and see if I can find anything interesting.


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## Bones out (Oct 28, 2013)

Nicely done, very nice indeed.


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## Norfolkbloke (Nov 8, 2013)

Great set of pictures!!

I used to live in nearby Long Stratton and passed this place regularly enroute to Norwich, always wondered what it was like inside but never knew it was once a derelict shell!!

Thanks for sharing these with us!!

NB


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## Stealthstar79 (Nov 8, 2013)

That's a fab report!
Thanks for sharing..


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## species8472 (Nov 8, 2013)

wow what a transformation.


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## TeeJF (Nov 11, 2013)

Wow.... how brilliant is that!


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## Cal900 (Nov 15, 2013)

I actually worked here till not long ago, I would say the resortation of the original house is actually quite tasteful. It is now grade 2 listed.

Under the main house is 2 floors of cellers still used every day. The building on the right actually has a swimming pool and 2 story gym housed under underground.

The hotel changed hands a few times after it was used as a warehouse. However it was David Shaw who built what is the holiday inn near the airport who pretty much rebuilt the house brick by brick in the 1990. He also added new blocks of rooms. 

The main house is used for meeting rooms still retaining the wooden panaling and the most expensive room including a penthouse....

Now my question, is the amazing wood partition behind the stairs original? It's so random but clearly not in the correct place in a lobby....

Had some crazy stories shared with me about this place!


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## DVDunstonHall (Nov 16, 2013)

What wonderful photos of the old house before the restoration & evolution into today's hotel! We just had to pop by & register our thanks for sharing them after having our attention drawn to the thread on Twitter!

If the OP (or anyone else for that matter) has any old photos of the place we'd love to hear from you! Feel free to send us a PM, a message on our Facebook/Twitter pages, or an email to peter.goldsmith at devere-hotels dot com

Thanks again for sharing!!


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## DVDunstonHall (Nov 16, 2013)

Ooh and in answer to Cal900's question about the partition near the main stairs - it's not an original feature of the building but was created as a sympathetic way of hiding structural supports which had to be added to meet building regulations & support the landings above!


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## leepey74 (Nov 16, 2013)

Amazing pictures! And brilliant to see it from then and now. Thanks for sharing


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## Paulytwotanks (Nov 16, 2013)

DVDunstonHall said:


> ... about the partition near the main stairs - it's not an original feature of the building but was created as a sympathetic way of hiding structural supports...



Well that answers a question I have had since first visiting it as a DeVere Hotel - I couldn't remember if it was there when I first visited, but I was surprised I hadn't photographed it if it had been.... Now I see why I didn't - it never existed at the time.


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## Paulytwotanks (Nov 16, 2013)

Cal900 said:


> I would say the resortation of the original house is actually quite tasteful.



I agree wholeheartedly - it is a good restoration, retaining many original features. My only lament is the massive extension to the left of the main house which means you can no longer walk around it, taking in that magnificent chimney stack at close quarters! But I'm well aware that progress and business practicalities sometimes comes at aesthetic cost. It's not a criticism, just an observation, and to visitors today, who never saw it as it was, they wouldn't be aware anyhow.

Thanks Cal900 for your inside knowledge - I wish I had got down those cellars back in '85 . Two floor levels of cellars - my word!


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## DVDunstonHall (Nov 16, 2013)

You wouldn't have got down there at all, they were excavated & extended to create a nightclub initially however it was never used as such it was modified further to create the Leisure club.


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