|
|
| Monument Name |
Harlowbury House |
|
| SMR Number |
3610 |
|
| Summary |
The manor house of Harlowbury is a very large timber-framed aisled hall built either by Abbot Samson of Bury St Edmunds in the late C12 or by one of his successors in the early C13. |
|
| Media |
|
|
| Associated Media |
|
|
| Description |
The manor house of Harlowbury is a very large timber-framed aisled hall built either by Abbot Samson of Bury St Edmunds in the late C12 or by one of his successors in the early C13. Of this only the two bays of the open hall survive with its smoke-blackened roof, though without the aisles. In the C14 the east end of the aisled building was replaced by a 2-storey 4 bay crossing. In C15 a small bay wing with a crown-post roof and jettied to the south was added at right angles to the east side of the crossing at the southern end. The aisled building probably continued one bay further to the west although nothing survives today. In C16 a chimney stack and upper floor was put into the hall and probably at the same time the aisles were demolished. In late C19 all but the north side was encased in brick. <1> The area adjoining the north wall of this timber-framed aisled house was excavated in an attempt to trace the outer aisle. However service and building trenches had removed all traces. A few late C12-C13 sherds were found. <2> The manor had been left to the Abbey by the Saxon thegn Thurstan in 1041 <3> A lease agreement for 1536 between one William Sumner and the Abbey gives a detailed description of the manorial estate. The parlour and one or two bedrooms lay at the west end. The courtyard was enclosed by barns, stables and outbuildings, and it is likely that there was also an outer courtyard. The manorial chapel stood by the outer gate. In addition there was a mill, dovecote, animal pound and fruit garden including a vinery and a nuttery.
"Harlowbury (name confirmed) is probably 16th century with additions and is not outstanding. A ditch feature 5.0m wide by 0.8m deep partly surrounds the house on the west and south sides and could be associated with a possible bury though its archaeological significance cannot be proved without excavation. Disturbed ground centred TL 477120 forming irregular platforms suggests Medieval desertion though no coherent pattern is visible. It seems to be the result of minor surface quarrying leaving an elevated path to the house. Grade I. Timber framed Abbot's Palace of the 13th century, formerly belonging to the Abbey of Bury. The aisles were removed and the whole encased in brick in the mid 19th century. The manor was held by the Abbot of St Edmund from 1041; a lease shows that it was in use as a resting-place on the route from Bury to London. All roof features indicate 13th century construction, but the capitals of the arcade-pests have parallels with late 12th century decoration. At Harlowbury House the area adjoining the north wall of this timber-framed aisled house was excavated by R Bartlett in 1983 in an attempt to trace the outer aisle. However, survice and building trenches had removed all traces. Only a few late 12th to early 13th century sherds were found. The finds are at Harlow House. Harlowbury House is surrounded to the south and west by well-defined earthworks representing the remains of a former medieval village [see TL 41 SE 48]. Some features, more recent than these, are also visible over-lying the medieval earthworks and were probably created as part of a landscaped garden associated with Harlowbury House.
The dominant earthwork feature is a raised causeway that leads from the gate in the north-west corner of the site towards the chapel [see IL 41 SE 16]. Thereafter is follows a sinuous course to the south, truncating a number of earlier features. A circular tree plantation situated 15Dm to the south-west of the house containing, amongst others, Pine and Lebanon Cedar also clearly cuts through earlier earthworks. An isolated group of earthworks immediately to the south of the house consisting principally of one large rectilinear hollow may be the remnants of medieval settlement but the likelihood that they belonged to a later phase of garden landscape should not be discounted."<4> |
|
| Monument Type(s) |
Abbots House (Dated 1101AD to 1200AD)
|
|
| Monument Class(es) |
None listed
|
|
|
Period
|
1101AD to 1200AD Medieval
|
|
| Status |
Not Known |
|
| Administration Area |
HARLOW, HARLOW, ESSEX |
|
|
National Grid Reference
|
Square: TL41SE
Ref: 477120 |
|
| Finds |
POTTERY VESSEL (Dated 1066AD To 1539AD)
|
|
| Events |
PART EXCAV by Bartlett, RW, 1983
|
|
|
Sources
|
Desc Text : Harlowbury Manor House, Harlow (Walker, J)
RECORD SHEET/FORM : NMR Monument listing, by quarter sheet (RCHME) TL41SE/918844
Desc Text : Harlow - Harlowbury House (Bartlett, R) vol 16 p169 Dated : 1984
Desc Text : Harlow: Historic Town Assessment Report (Medlycott, Maria) Dated : 1999
|
| View on Map |
|
