Item 10 2025.09 COMPRESSED EB Conservation Area Appraisal DRAFTv2.pdf

East Bergholt Conservation Area Appraisal DRAFT

July 2025 | Project Ref 5784B
East Bergholt
Conservation
Area Appraisal
__________

No text or imagery within this report has been generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Cover Image: ‘Golding Constables Garden’ 1815, Oil on canvas, Ipswich Museum
Project Number: 5784B
File Origin: https://heritagecollectiveuk.sharepoint.com/sites/5001-6000/Shared
Documents/5701-5800/05784 – East Bergholt, Suffolk/05784B/7. Reports/2025.07
East Bergholt Conservation Area Appraisal DRAFT.docx

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Contents
Summary of Special Interest
1.Introduction ..
……………………………………………………………………………. 6
2.Historic Summary .. …………………………………………………………………… 16
3.Spatial Character .. ……………………………………………………………………. 27
4.Architectural Character .. …………………………………………………………… 43
5.Setting and Views .. …………………………………………………………………… 57
6.Character Areas .. ……………………………………………………………………… 70
7.The Village Centre to Gaston End .. ………………………………………………. 73
8.Constable’s core .. …………………………………………………………………….. 86
9.Dead Lane to Hadleigh Road .. …………………………………………………….. 98
10.Burnt Oak and Gandish Road .. ………………………………………………….. 106
11.Flatford Mill .. …………………………………………………………………………. 116
12.Issues and Opportunities .. ……………………………………………………….. 126
Appendices
App. 1 Map R egression
App. 2 Designated Heritage Assets
Bibliograp hy and references
ARCHAEOLOGY | ECOLOGY | HERITAGE | LANDSCAPE | P LANNING | V IS UALISAT I ONS

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Summary of Special Interest
East Bergholt is an internationally significant v illage as the birthplace and childhood
home of painter John Constable whose art was ‘intimately involved in the portrayal
of his childhood world’ (Vaughn, 1999, p.213).
Constable’s artistic output, both large painted scenes and smaller intimate studies
and sketches cover a broad swathe of the village, its buildings, surrounding fields,
valleys, riverine and heath landscapes. The landscape sensitivity of the area has
been recorded within a detailed report on the landscape of the parish as a whole
now part of the Neighbourhood Plan.
There is a strong sense of continuity between the scenes he depicted and the area
today, despite later changes it is eminently possible to recognise and experience
Constable’s home whilst walking the conservation area today. This offers a unique
insight and connection to the past and the world of this internationally renowned
artist.
Beyond the artistic and historic value associated with Constable’s work the
settlement as a whole is of special historic interest in illustrating the evolution of a
Suffolk village over time, particularly the relationship of village to open landscape
which has shifted over time from a well understood ‘heath’ and ‘common’ to the
enclosed landscape of today. Detailed historic maps from the pre- enclosure period
offer unique insight at East Bergholt to the characteristics of the pre-enclosure
landscape which have been retained through to today.
The importance of agriculture, milling and the wool trade and industry is reflected
in the village, with the wealth generated by these industries reflected in some of
the larger historic buildings of the 15
th
and 16
th
centuries, the substantial church
and early school building.
Well preserved buildings contribute to distinct architectural and historic values, with
the differing functions reflecting the breadth of human activity in the past and over
time. A high number of statutorily listed buildings reflect the architectural and
historic special interest within the conservation area, and well preserved unlisted
buildings, many of which are contemporary with the listed buildings augment and
enrich the character of the conservation area overall.

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The settlement at Flatford represents an outstanding collection of buildings,
archaeological remains and riverine structures important in their own right as well
as being a group with key historic links to the Constable Family and the subject of
many of John Constable’s most well known paintings.
The village layout and surrounding landscape continues to contain important
references and legible elements of pre-enclosure landscapes including aspects of
the heath, separate ‘ends’ or hamlets, village greens and archaeological evidence in
places for even older field systems or human activity; the conservation area
includes several of these fall within the and the potential for further understanding
of archaeological potential remains considerable.
Individual character areas within the suggested designated area reflect distinct
differences in settlement pattern, type and periods with the golden thread of
Constable’s artwork and his families influence over the village running throughout.
The surrounding landscape of East Bergholt, particularly to the north and north east
has seen recent erosion from mass housebuilding programmes. The proposed
extension of the conservation area seeks to recognise that a considerably wider
area than is currently designated has a special character and appearance worthy of
protection.

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1. Introduction
1.1 This Conservation Area Appraisal has been written by HCUK Group on behalf of the
East Bergholt Parish Council. It follows the guidance and structure set out within
Historic England’s 2019 ‘Conservation Area Appraisal, Designation and Management
Second edition, Historic England Advice Note 1.’
1.2 A Conservation Area is defined as an “area of special architectural or historic
interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or
enhance.”
1
The core of the conservation area was designated in 1968 with an
extension in 1975. Local authorities have a statutory duty under section 69(2) of
the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 to review from
time to time past designations and determine whether any parts or further parts of
the area should be designated as conservation areas and, if they so determine, to
designate those areas.
1.3 This appraisal is neither prescriptive nor overly descriptive, but seeks to establish
and summarise the unique ‘quality of place’, sufficient to inform the Planning Officer
and others considering changes or assessing proposed works there. Historic
England guidelines point out, that an appraisal is to be read as a general overview,
rather than as a comprehensive listing, and the omission of any particular building,
feature or space does not imply that it is of no interest in conservation or heritage
terms.

1
Section 69 (1), Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990

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East Bergholt
1.4 East Bergholt is located to the east of the A12 approximately half way between
Colchester and Ipswich in south Suffolk.

Figure 1: East Bergholt in its wider context
1.5 The southwestern half of the parish falls within the Dedham Vale National
Landscape (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). The north eastern edge of the
parish falls within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths National Landscape (Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty).
1.6 The existing conservation area is wholly within the Dedham Vale national
Landscape and the proposed extension covered within this report pushes the
suggested conservation area boundary further to include areas beyond this
landscape designation.

Figure 2: East Bergholt Conservation Area in relation to nearby landscape designations.
Designation and Boundary review
1.7 The original designation of East Bergholt Conservation Area was undertaken in
1968. It was extended slightly in 1975 but the extant designated area still only
covers the very core of the historic settlement running from Gaston Street, the
Street and Rectory Hill. It is tightly drawn to include what might be considered the
historic core of the settlement running from Burnt Oak at the junction between
Rectory Hill and Gandish Road in the east along Rectory Hill, The Street and up the
eastern side of Gaston Road .

Figure 3: The existing conservation area boundary (base mapping from Babergh Mid Suffolk
Local Plan Policies map)
1.8 The East Bergholt Neighbourhood Development Plan (EBNP) was adopted in
September 2016. Within the plan at Section 5.3.2 on ‘Our Historic Environment’
contained two recommended ‘projects’ which were not to form part of the
Neighbourhood Plan, but which could eventually contribute to subsequent reviews
and to form part of the Local Plan more widely. Project EB7 was to update the
Village Local List, cementing a carefully considered and criteria based list of local
non-designated assets. Project EB8 was to review the conservation area the text of
the project reads:
“Work with the East Bergholt Society and other relevant statutory authorities to
review and, if appropriate, extend or modify the boundaries of the East Bergholt
Conservation Area (Map 18) ensuring the identified views and open spaces are
protected.” (EBNP 2016, p.76)
1.9 The EBNP is currently undergoing review and the Neighbourhood Plan Steering
Group has been reformed. In parallel to the review process HCUK Group were
instructed to provide an appraisal document to address project EB8 as above. The
appraisal of the conservation area was initial started following the completion of a
detailed Historic Landscape Appraisal in 2020. In 2021 the East Bergholt
Neighbourhood Plan Group in conjunction with the East Bergholt Society began to

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look at the built fabric and landscape character across the Neighbourhood Plan
area, the whole parish. From an initial consideration of 8 discrete areas, five were
eventually put forward to Babergh Council as recommendations for an extension to
the East Bergholt Conservation Area.

Figure 4: The five suggested areas for extension of conservation area (East Berghold
Society)
1.10 Further assessment has seen a slight extension to some areas in order to include
logical and robust boundaries and landscape divisions, avoiding boundaries cutting
off across open land parcels, and in some incidences to include buildings and areas
which are considered to contribute to historic, architectural or artistic values of the

Figure 5: the current proposed outline over the East Bergholt society suggested areas.
1.11 To the west the boundary is formed by Dead Lane, a long established route leading
from the A12 (former Roman Road) towards the river. It remains well used as a
footpath. The northern limit is defined by a short stretch of the A12 to avoid a
boundary passing through open woodland north of The Lodge without other
boundaries. The northern boundary is formed by Hadleigh Road, one of the main
entries into the village, after passing the primary school, the boundary sets into
include the street facing properties at the southern end of Hadleigh road and then

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turns north along the rear boundaries of houses along the western side of Gaston
Road. Houses beyond those that the face the street are generally excluded .
1.12 The north eastern limit follows the rear property boundaries of those buildings
which front on to Quinton Triangle formed by Quinton, Heath and Woodgates road .
The allotment gardens are within the boundary but the modern housing estates
beyond them are excluded with the boundary following the curved southern edge –
the route of the trackway known as The Donkey Track. To the east the proposed
boundary is extended across open undeveloped land formerly part of East Bergholt
Heath taking in the 25 year old millenium woods and extending to Heath Road
formerly the site of the Constable Family’s windmill, it includes Mill House, which
features in several Constable paintings.
1.13 The eastern boundary follows Gandish Road, including the village hall (and playing
fields) as part of a group designed by the same architect passing down the route of
Flatford Road and cutting eastwards to include the open land behind Clapper Farm
extending southwards to the river.
1.14 The southern boundary follows the river Stour enclosing the group of buildings and
riverine structures at Flatford and following along the river to Fenn bridge, and then
following the footpath until it meets the southern end of Dead Lane.
1.15 The Conservation Area Appraisal will be presented for consultation with a view to
being adopted by Babergh Council as a Supplementary Planning Document. There
are 29 conservation areas in Babergh District, 27 of them have adopted appraisal
documents. Bentley Conservation area appraisal was approved and adopted in May
2025. East Bergholt is the last without such an appraisal.
1.16 This appraisal provides consideration of the proposed extended conservation area,
setting out the distinctive character and appearance and the special interest and
heritage values over all which are considered to warrant appropriate reason for
addition to the designated conservation area.
What does Conservation Area Designation Mean?
1.17 Conservation Area designation aims to preserve or enhance the character and
appearance of an area which is of special architectural or historic interest.

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Therefore, changes within the Conservation Area may require planning permission
from the Local Planning Authority. As certain permitted development rights are
curtailed, demolition or substantial demolition of a building will require planning
permission. Within the sphere of the natural environment within a conservation
area planned work to a tree also requires notification to the Local Planning
Authority. Sometimes there are further restrictions imposed through Article 4
directions, which remove certain permitted development rights.
Community involvement and acknowledgements
1.18 HCUK Group give grateful thanks and acknowledgement to members of the East
Bergholt Society in particular John Lyall and Adrian James for being so generous of
their knowledge. The East Bergholt Parish Church Council for kind permission to use
extracts from the Brasier maps, which are in their ownership. Thanks also to
Jeremy Lake who provided invaluable information on the landscape qualities and
history of the National Trust Holdings at Flatford. Thanks to all those who reviewed
and commented and to any landowners who allowed access in the production of
this report.
Policy background
1.19 The legislative framework relating to conservation areas and listed buildings is set
out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. Section 69
of this Act imposes a continuing duty on Local Planning Authorities to designate
areas which they consider to be of architectural and historic interest as
Conservation Areas, and to review those designations with a view to addition new
areas or extending existing areas at appropriate points. Section 71 requires the
Local Planning Authority to formulate and publish proposals for the preservation
and enhancement of these areas, in conjunction with public consultation and
recognising any views expressed through such consultation. Section 72 requires
that in exercising their planning functions within a conservation area, that local
authorities give special attention to ensuring that the character and appearance of
these areas is preserved or enhanced.
1.20 National planning policy in relation to the conservation and enhancement of
heritage assets is outlined in Part 16 of the National Planning Policy Framework

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(December 2024). This emphasises at section 186 that in consideration of new
areas, or the extension of existing areas that care must be taken to ensure that an
area does have sufficient special architectural or historic interest to warrant
designation, so as not to devalue the concept of conservation
1.21 The proposed extended East Bergholt Conservation Area is located within the local
government district of Babergh District Council. Local planning policy is set out in
the Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan Part 1 (November 2023).
1.22 Relevant Policies within the Local Plan are:
• SP09 –Enhancement and Management of the Environment
• LP15 – Environmental Protection and Conservation
• LP19 – The Historic Environment
• LP23 – Sustainable Construction and Design
• LP24 – Design and Residential Amenity
1.23 In addition to the Local Plan, the East Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan was adopted on
20 September 2016. It runs up to 2030, and the Neighbourhood Plan Steering
Group is currently in the process of reviewing and as necessary updating the plan.
In the plan Chapter 5 relates to Design, Character and Heritage. Polic EB9 relates
to housing and Non- Residential Design; Policy EB10 covers the preservation of Non
Designated Heritage Assets.
1.24 Two ‘projects’ were also identified: Project EB7 relates to updating the village Local
List, and of great significance to this document Project EB8 relates to a Review of
the Conservation Area. The full text of Project EB8 reads
“Work with the East Bergholt Society and other relevant statutory authorities to
review and, if appropriate, extend or modify the boundaries of the East Bergholt
Conservation Area (Map 18) ensuring the identified views and open spaces are
protected.”
1.25 In 2021 the East Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan Group, on behalf of the Parish
Council, prepared a proposal for extending the conservation area. This was
informed by an ‘Historic Landscape Study of East Bergold and the Cultural Legacy
of John Constable’ (Heritage Collective, now HCUK Group, March 2021) which was

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prepared with the intention to become an important aspect of the Neighbourhood
Plan evidence base. The proposal document was submitted to Babergh District
Council but has not progressed further.
1.26 This document is the result of further work to build upon the initial consideration of
reviewing the conservation area boundaries, and extending the areas included
within the designated area and as described above at paragraphs 1.9-1.14.

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2. Historic Summary
2.1 The following section presents a brief summary of the historic development of East
Bergholt. It is not intended to be a comprehensive history, and nor does it present
detailed historic information on individual properties, sites or areas.
Summary historic Background
Archaeology and ancient history
2.2 The Suffolk Historic Environment Record and excavation record shows limited
evidence for pre-historic activity within the parish as a whole, not just the
suggested conservation arear. Flint implements have been discovered close to
Flatford but are interpreted as redeposited artefacts through the action of the river.
An earthwork just north of Flatford is a possible ringwork monument in association
with other ancient boundaries and routes seen in the area north and east of the
building group here. A flint scraper was recorded in the gardens of Old Hall and
there have been isolated metal detecting finds from the Bronze Age and a single
Iron Age coin. Aeri al Photographs provide some evidence for possible earlier field
systems and enclosures perhaps evidence of roman activity and enclosure both
sides of Hadleigh Road close to the A12, which follows the approximate line of the
roman route known as ‘The Pye Road’ connecting Colchester to a settlement on the
site of Baylham House some 30km to the northeast. A possible Roman cemetery
was found in 1838 while excavating foundations for Ackworth House (HER:
MSF5058) and earthwork banks still legible within the grounds are possibly
associated with this cemetery (HER: MSF23170).
Medieval
2.3 The place name East Bergholt is Old English in origin: ‘est bercholt’ meaning a birch
copse or ‘wood by a hill’. It is recorded in the Domesday Book the Norman taxation
document, as ‘Bercolt’ held by Earl Harold Godwin and comprising 13 carucates of
land, a population of around 54 householders, 42 villagers, five small holders, one
freeman and six slaves. There was a mill and extensive areas of arable land, woods,
and meadows.

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2.4 Medieval manorial court rolls record four medieval manorial holdings in East
Bergholt. Old Hall was the principal manor – named as early as 1349. Illaries is
similarly ancient but there are very few documentary records. its manor house was
on the site of Manor Farm, East End. At one time Edward Lambe was Lord of this
manor. He founded Lambe school in 1594, still present on Gaston Street, with later
additions.

Figure 6: The Lambe School, looking south along Gaston Street
2.5 In the mid 12
th
century two sub manors were created by Henry II: The manor of
Spensers had its manor house originally located on the site of a Tudor Cottage,
Mission Lane, East End and the Manor of St Johns also known as the Commandery
was situated close to the site of White Horse Farm at the bottom of Mill Road, an
area known on the old heath as ‘Bakers End’.
2.6 The earliest phases of St Mary’s Church date from the mid 14
th
century with fabric
of this date focussed in the crossing and chancel Arch. The exterior is generally late
perpendicular in style from the mid to later 15
th
century. Renowned for its
incomplete tower begun in the early 16
th
century reputedly with money from
Cardinal Wolsey which ceased to flow at his death in 1530. Whilst lack of funds is
likely the reason the tower was not completed, links to Wolsey are not so firm and
it likely reflects general decline in donations and investment from local wealthy
individuals. The tower remained incomplete and the bells remain housed in the
contemporary bell cage dating to 1531 in the grounds of the church yard.

Figure 7: The bell cage.

Figure 8: The Parish Church of St Mary

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2.7 Early non- conformist religious practice is well known in East Bergholt. In 1644 at
the height of the Civil War, the Puritans of the village declared their rector to be
‘malignant’ and replaced him, eventually leading East Bergholt to have a licence for
a ‘dissenters’ chapel afterwhich a non-conformist and Independent Church was
formed in 1672. Though dissenting positions continued to be persecuted for many
years so people worshiped in houses and in secret. The current congregational
chapel, originally called ‘independent meeting house’ was constructed in 1856, but
almost certainly replaced an earlier building on this site.

Figure 9: Congregational Chapel, Cemetery Lane
2.8 Flatford fell into two manors, part in Old Hall and partly Illaries. As the lowest
crossing point on the Stour it was an important crossing right back to the Saxon
period. There remains speculation that a separate church was located here,
reflected in the ongoing name of ‘Church Field’. The Parsonage, and associated
glebe fields stood at the top of Tunnel Lane, just north of Flatford until the ‘New
rectory’ (now Old Rectory) was constructed on Rectory Hill at the start of the 18
th

century. The moated site at Gibbonsgate Farm is indicative of a high status dwelling
further contributing to debate over whether in the medieval period Flatford may
have been a much more considerable settlement through the 12
th
and 13
th

centuries. By the 15
th
century however there were for certain two high status
wealthy farmsteads at Flatford, Valley Farm and Gibbeons or Gibbonsgate farm
where early fabric within Willy Lot’s House may represent a move away from the
earlier moated site.

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Post Medieval
2.9 East Bergholt was fundamentally a farming and agricultural village but, as with
many other settlements from the medieval period on through to the middle of the
16
th
century East Bergholt generated considerable wealth from the wool and
woollen cloth industry. The industry was a cottage industry with spinners and
weavers working from home, and field names recorded on later maps referencing
the industry and aspects such as drying or dying. English wool and woolen cloth
was highly prized and Suffolk was the centre of the industry by the end of the 15
th

century with more wool worked here than in any other county. The river provided
power for fulling as well as transport links. The wealth generated by this industry
was poured back into the settlement and the comparatively well preserved 15
th
and
16
th
century houses remaining in the village reflect this. Decline began in the later
16
th
century but slowly, with clothiers, spinsters and clothworkers continuing to be
recorded within the village right at the end of the 17
th
century.
18th century
2.10 In 1731-3 William Brasier was commissioned by the then Lord of the Old Hall
Manor, Henry Hankey to survey the first large-scale maps of the Parish showing
field names and landowners. As well as field names and landowners it identifies
manorial copyholds, key buildings, boundaries, paths, and natural landscapes trees
hedges, ponds many of which can still be traced and identified today.
2.11 A separate map was also compiled of East Bergholt Heath itself in 1733 it shows a
windmill on ‘Windmill Bank.’ The heath is criss-crossed by tracks and ribbon
development of settlement to the perimeter though the central part of the village is
not depicted. The Heath covers c. 140 hectares

Figure 10: reproduction of the William Brasier 173 1 Map “Shewing of What Mannor and
Holding every Particular Field & in this Survey Holds of, Also, Whose is the Boundary Fence
of each Proprietor” now mounted on the wall of Constable Hall.

2.12 New high status mansions were built in the early 18
th
century on the site of the old
manor house at Old Hall for Joseph Chaplin, and West Lodge (now Stour House),
both near to the church.
2.13 What is now the Old Rectory was also constructed in the early 18
th
century by the
then rector Edward Alston, previously the parsonage had been located towards the
lower section of Flatford Lane, marked as ‘Old Parsonage’ on Brasier’s map.
Towards the end of the 18
th
century, 1782, the rectory was appointed to the Rev Dr
Durand Rhudde. He was grandfather to Maria Bicknell, eventual wife to John
Constable though their courtship and marriage was long resisted by Rhudde who
threatened to disinherit the Bicknell family members if they did not put a stop to
any engagement or association. The quantity of paintings and sketches of the Old
Rectory, and views across the fields between the Constable family home to the Old
Rectory reflect the long courtship and thwarted romance between the two.
2.14 Flatford Mill at this time featured four dry docks and two principal farms, Valley
Farm and Gibbons, Willy Lots Cottage being the farmhouse. In 1742 the merchant

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Abram Constable purchased the wharfs, basin and docks, Flatform Mill, a kiln for
drying grain and a granary. In 1765 Abram left he mill and dock facilities tohis
nephew, Golding constable – John Constable’s father – and it remained in the
Constable family until 1845.
2.15 John Constable was born at East Bergholt House in 1776, his father Golding
Constable had recently bought the house at the centre of the village. Golding
Constable owned substantial parcels of land to the rear of the house extending
towards the Rectory and up onto the Heath.
19th century
2.16 John Constable’s small studio (today known as Moss Cottage on Cemetery Lane),
was bought by his father in 1802.
2.17 Peter Godfrey bought Old Hall in 1811 and proceeded to create Old Hall Park,
clearing the former fields, hop yards and orchards between Rectory Lane and
Flatford Lane extending parkland character. Formal avenues shown on the Brasier
Map are not shown on subsequent maps reflecting a shift to more naturalised
landscape style. Godfrey befriended Constable and his family, commissioning him
to paint the hall. Several of Constable’s works include the hall or its parkland.

Figure 11-12: 1731 Brasier Map showing formal avenues south of Old Hall, 1886 six inches
to one mile map illustrating extended parkland and less formal landscaping.
2.18 East Bergholt Common was enclosed in 1817. Larger landowners rationalised their
landholdings and create straighter roads around the former common, this pattern is
evident today. The previous common land was subdivided and put under

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agricultural use. The village green in front of the former West Lodge (now Stour
House) was walled off, removing a large part of the village green, now only a small
grassed triangle remains. Other larger houses were added to the north west of the
village, Gatton house in c.1825 (not 1809 as in the list description) and Ackworth
house in c.1840.
2.19 John Constable and Maria Bicknell eventually married in 1816, after John
Constable’s father had died, leaving Constable in a far more sound financial
position. Despite the strenuous early objections her grandfather Rev. Rhudde
eventually accepted their marriage and left her a considerable bequest of
Government bonds in his will.
2.20 Dairy and cereal farming started to replace sheep farming. The windmill on East
Bergholt Common continues to be shown on maps through to the end of the 19
th

century though it is generally thought that its use declined before this.
2.21 John Constable died in 1837. A short time afterwards his childhood home, which
had been sold some years earlier (1819) to family friend Walter Clerk, was in poor
condition and pulled down, only the former stable block remained along with the
front railings which now bear a commemorative panel to the artist.

Figure 13: Historic railings set into a low brick wall, one of the few physical remains of East
Bergholt House, Constable’s childhood home.
2.22 By the 1851 census only 16 houses between Tuffnalls at the north end of Gaston
Street and ‘Gothics’, the majority being near Richardson’s Farm. There was little
change in the overarching settlement pattern and density between 1817 and 1837.

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2.23 In 1856 Old Hall was purchased by a group of Benedictine Nuns from Winchester
becoming a religious community, they were succeeded later by Franciscan Friars in
the first half of the 20
th
century. From 1973 the Community has been secular,
continuing to this day.
20
th
Century to present day
2.24 The Flatford Mill Estate was bought in 1927 by Thomas Parkington of Ipswich to
save from dereliction and was acquired by the National Trust in 1943.
2.25 From the mid-century housing began to be developed along the western side of
Gaston Street between the widely spaced more ancient buildings with further
infilling between the late medieval houses on the east side. Expansion in the last
quarter of the century saw mass housing developments on the open land north of
the village’s historic core.

Figure 14: 1945 aerial photograph with the village centre and Hadleigh Road at the bottom
to Quintons Triangle top right, showing mid century initial housing expansion west of Gaston
Street.
2.26 In 1968 the central part of East Bergholt from Burnt Oak along Rectory Hill,
through the village centre and up the eastern side of Gaston Street was designated
a conservation area.
2.27 The dry dock at Flatford Mill was restored in 1988.

Figure 15: the restored dry dock at Flatford.
2.28 The end of the 20
th
century and first quarter of the 21
st
century has seen further
expansion of housing at an ever larger scale, particularly stretching east along
Heath Road north of The Donkey Track. This modern housing has had a marked
visual effect on the perception of openness in this area where new housing is very
prominent, while the historic village centre is almost invisible.

Figure 16: View from the Donkey Track to new housing south of Heath Road.

Figure 17: view into Chaplin Road, later 20
th
century development extending east from the
northern end of Gaston Street

Figure 18: view into the newly completed housing at Summer Road and Harris Gardens,
north of the Donkey Track off Heath Road.

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3. Spatial Character
Geology and Topography
3.1 The parish spans from the low riverine Stour valley on the south west up the
undulating valley side runs north west to south east across the centre of the parish,
with the village on the upper slope where it transitions into a plateau at
approximately 40mOD occupying the north eastern part of the parish. The plateau
extends beyond the parish boundary towards Holton St. Mary to the north west and
Brantham to the south east. The very north eastern edge of the parish drops again
towards the Capel brook and the adjacent parish of Capel St. Mary.
3.2 The major solid geology of the parish is chalky boulder clay on the plateau.
Superficial geology shows underlying Lowestoft Formations comprising sand and
gravel with alluvium in the Stour River valley. The upper soils on the plateau and
valley sides are loamy and deep, ideal for arable farming. Detailed discussion of the
landscape is contained in Heritage Collective, 2020, Historic Landscape Appraisal
where three landscape characters are identified and summarised:
The plateau farmlands lie on elevated land between the two valleys of the Stour
to the south and Stamford to the north and north east. The enclosed heath and
commons and regular landscape pattern associated with 19th century enclosure
makes this landscape type locally distinctive. Away from transport corridors this
is a tranquil landscape, with a strong sense of isolation and network of tall
hedges and quiet lanes. Long views across the heath are an important
characteristic of the village setting, particularly across larger scale landscape to
the north of the village. The southern part of this landscape character type,
including the former heath immediately east of the village centre is lies within
the Dedham Vale AONB designation.
The rolling valley farmlands encompasses the gentle valley sides and some more
complex and steep slopes and sunken lanes are characteristic. The Stour valley
slopes afford extensive views across the Dedham Vale made iconic in
Constable’s work and lie within the Dedham Vale AONB. The Samford Valley lies
within the recently extended Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB designation.

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The valley meadowlands landscape character type is generally unsettled with
exception of the Flatford Mill Complex and comprises pasture divided by wet
ditches, with occasional wet woodland. It has a tranquil picturesque character,
protected by the Dedham Vale AONB designation.
3.3 The conservation area covers aspects of all three of the above areas, a narrow strip
of the valley meadowlands on the eastern bank of the Stour, the rolling valley
farmlands rising up towards the village heart on the plateau farmlands. The views
over Dedham Vale and the Stour are an important characteristic of the conservation
area with significant links to Constable’s work (see para. 5.11 onwards).

Figure 19: Landscape Character Areas with conservation area outline. (Heritage Collective,
2021, Figure 3.1, p39)

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Current uses and functions
3.4 The primary use of the majority of buildings within the village is residential.
Commercial uses are focussed within the village centre (shops, public house (The
Red Lion, temporarily closed) cafes, smaller businesses) where there is also a good
sized public car park, bus stops etc. Two further public houses are located at
Gaston End (The Carriers Arms and The Hare and Hounds’ with a former public
house at Burnt Oak now a private house and café and shop. An autorepair and MOT
garage falls just outside the conservation area at Gaston End.
3.5 A cluster of businesses are found west of Hadleigh Road at The Gattinetts, a small
industrial estate on former farm site. The group of buildings is well screened and
aside from signage at the entry very tucked away and inconspicuous.

Figure 20: Village centre, shops and on street parking in close proximity to residential.

Figure 21: The Gattinetts business park
3.6 Religious buildings are focused close to the centre with the substantial Parish
Church of St Mary. A Congregational chapel, constructed in the late 1850s, is on
Cemetery Lane, not actively in use at present . Further commemorative and
communal areas are located in the centre as well with the War Memorial opposite
St Mary’s Church at the end of Flatford Lane, and the cemetery just west of the
village centre.
3.7 Secular communal buildings are found at the Constable Memorial Hall on the east
side of Gandish Road, with large playing fields, a children’s playground and public
open air gym area and other club houses are associated. There is good parking
here to facilitate regular use. Though the historic Lambe School is located on
Gaston Street, the current primary and secondary schools are just outside the
conservation area boundary on Hadleigh Road and east of Quintons Triangle.
3.8 Flatford Mill is run by the National Trust and is the most overt ‘visitor attraction’
within the area with a substantial car park, café, and small museum with
interpretation boards dedicated to Constable’s life and work. Various bed and
breakfasts, Airbnb properties and other accommodation options are available within
the village and surrounding area. The National Trust also let several of the buildings
at Flatford to the Field Studies Council, an environmental educational charity.

Figure 22: Information and displays on Rural life within Bridge Cottage at Flatford
3.9 The Stour Valley Path and St Edmund Way are national routes along the river
valley, both of which skirt the southern edge of the conservation area. The
substantial car park, and public toilets within the village centre also provide
important visitor access to the facilities here.
Routes and Street Patterns
3.10 The A12 is the nearest major road, following the former Roman Route to Ipswich.
The noise of the A12 is occasionally apparent within the village. Hughes leading to
Hadleigh Roads, Heath Road which continues on to Gaston Street, the Street and
on to Rectory Hill and Gandish road are all two lane routes which provide the main
vehicular routes through the conservation area.
3.11 Flatford Lane is a small single width lane which loops from Burnt Oak down towards
Flatford and back up towards the Church. Cemetery Lane, Fen Lane and Flatford
Mill Lane are dead end routes leading out from the village and from Flatford Lane
down the slopes to the south and south west of the village. These have medieval
origins and a highly traditional character as hollow ways.

Figure 23: Fen Lane
3.12 The main roads through the village have pedestrian paths on at least one side for
the majority of their length. An exception is the northern end of Gaston Street
which, though still frequently used by traffic, has no pedestrian walkway for its last
c.150m (see Figure 24 below).
3.13 Beyond the road network pedestrians are well served by a system of footpaths,
leading out and through the village, as well as routes maintained and established
within the National Trust Land at Flatford and in the valley. The Donkey Track is
particularly well used running between Gandish Road and the new housing east of
Gaston Street. The quieter Flatford Lane and Cemetery Lane are also heavily used
by pedestrians along with vehicles, connecting through to the rural landscape and
footpaths. Two National Walking Routes run briefly through the area along the river
and at Flatford, the Stour Valley Path and St Edmund Way.

Figure 24: Looking along the northern end of Gaston Street towards Stuarts, no pedestrian
walkway.
Public Realm and Street Furniture
3.14 Pedestrians move through the conservation area on relatively standard tarmacadam
pavements, in the town centre small square paving slabs are used with areas of
brick as contrast. Curbs are a mixture of concrete with some stretches of smaller
granite sets. No historic paving finishes or road surfaces are present. On roads and
lanes without pavements, the road edge is informal with grassy verges where
buildings do not rise from the street direct.
3.15 In general street furniture (bins, signage etc) are standardised and unremarkable.
Public toilets are available within the village’s car park off The Street. This car park
is pleasant with many trees and green surroundings to a good quantity of spaces. A
period style lamp post is located close to the WCs. The public houses feature
signage advertising their presence.
3.16 Utility furniture and security fencing is also entirely utilitarian. Recent work at the
head of Fen Lane has seen the rather blunt insertion of a gas or water marker, the
standard lap timber fencing around electricity sub stations at Quinton Triangle and
adjacent to the War Memorial are distinctly unremarkable, and at the War Memorial
used as ad hoc advertising space by local groups.

Figure 24- 25: Utilities fencing and furniture, entirely unremarkable features within the street
scape.
3.17 A K6 telephone box, now housing a community defibrillator, stands in the centre,
between the village shop and the Red Lion public house.
3.18 Signs commemorate two connections to John Constable. The first is a plaque on the
railings of his family’s former home, East Bergholt house, the second is on Moss
Cottage, John Constable’s studio purchased in the early 19
th
century.

Figure 26: public realm in village centre, standard black bins, a bench and K6 phone box,
square concrete paving.

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3.19 Adjacent to Stour House on what remains of one of the former village Green the
village Sign depicts the Bell House and was crafted by a local blacksmith.
Open Spaces
3.20 There are no public ‘parks’ as such, and little open space freely available to public
access beyond the playing fields and sports pitches off Gandish Road. The
Neigbourhood Plan does identify important ‘green spaces’ though including
cemeteries, allotments, the Box Iron, school playgrounds and the playing fields.
The network of public footpaths gives good public access to the surrounding
countryside alongside permitted access to the land at Flatford and on the valley
sides provided by the National Trust.
3.21 Commemorative spaces include the cemetery and church yard around the Parish
Church of St Mary the Virgin. The church yard has well maintained paths and
several benches to encourage dwelling within this pleasant space. An information
board provides historic information about the Bell Cage, an important and unique
historic feature in the village. The cemetery is accessed both by paths from the
town centre car park and from Cemetery Lane. It is a quiet green pleasant space.

Figure 27: A place to dwell in St Mary’s Church Yard.

Figure 28: The War Memorial from the church yard , note posters on the fencing to the left,
more standard fencing enclosing a utilities sub station.
3.22 The War memorial is located on a small grassy triangle at the entry to Flatford Lane
opposite the Church of St Mary the Virgin.
3.23 Private gardens, whilst not fully visible, and of course not publicly accessibly
nonetheless make a contribution to character particularly where greenery and
various mature trees are perceived throughout the area , softening the built forms.
On streets with prevalence of front gardens, they create a distinct sense of
openness, even where houses are relatively closely spaced (Gaston Street). Where
trees are visible between and behind buildings they add to a sense of rural
surroundings hinting and indicating the linear nature of development along street
lines, rather than at depth. This is particularly true on the western side of Gaston
Street where the substantial gardens and mature planting to the rear limits the
degree to which the later 20
th
century housing sitting behind the houses here being
perceived. Generally gardens are well tended and in good condition.
3.24 A similar sense of lush greenness is provided by mature trees which line several of
the entrances into the Conservation Area core, and contribute pleasing contrast to
various areas within the conservation area. This is particularly true at Hadleigh
Road and on Gandish Road adjacent to the memorial hall and playing fields. Inside
the area the verdant wooded character of Rectory Hill is notable, as is the central
stretch of Gaston Street, north of Richardsons Farm. Constable’s favourite Tree was
the Black Poplar, currently seeing something of a revival in the area after a period
of decline.

Figure 29: the lush ‘tree tunnel’ on Hadleigh Road, entering the conservation area.
3.25 While there are no formally designated registered parks within the area, Old Hall
had a parkland set out after 1817, and the Brasier map indicates that previously
there were formal avenues extending in a radial pattern south of the hall. With
large areas of grassland and mature specimen trees still visible within the
surroundings of the building, there remains a sense of parkland.

Figure 30: ‘Parkland’ shaded at Old Hall and to the north around Ackworth house.

Figure 31: View into the parkland south of Rectory Hill looking towards Old Hall/St Mary’s
Abbey. Specimin trees, grazing stock, pasture all retain a sense of arcadian English parkland.
3.26 Ackworth House is also depicted on the later 19
th
century map as being surrounded
by ‘parkland’ this area too retains some sense of this, visible from the footpath on
the western edge of the area.

Figure 32: Ackworth House visible from Dead Lane, undulating landscape with well spaced
trees and gentle pasture surroundings on the hillside close to the house. Denser darker
evergreens left of the house indicated on the map above.
Woodland
3.27 Woodland is primarily located in the northern part of the conservation area at
Lodge Plantation and Foxhall coverts north of The Lodge and Allens Farm. This

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northern woodland is not terribly ancient, its extension up to the A12 is legible on
the historic maps (Appendix 1) comparing the relatively small patch around The
Lodge, with the enlarged area depicted by 1953.

Figure 33: Woodland in Lodge Plantation flanking the sunken route Dead Lane
3.28 Smaller areas of woodland surround the sewage works within the former parkland
of Old Hall and in the millennium woods planted some 25 years ago east of the
Donkey Track. Within the village centre mature trees in larger gardens add arboreal
interest those along Rectory Hill give this an almost wooded feel. From the Donkey
Track the frequent trees in gardens along Rectory Hill, the Street and Gaston Street
mean that the village buildings are barely perceived. Contrast between ornamental
mature conifers and native deciduous species add to visual contrast. The river
banks also feature frequent trees, particularly willows providing distinct contrast to
the more deciduous hedgerows on the higher ground. Trees within the hedgerow
boundaries are also frequent and contribute to a sense of continuity with the rural
scenes painted by Constable, though the ravages of Dutch Elm disease in the later
20
th
century have removed one species studied by Constable in exceptional detail,
though interestingly the subject of the below drawing actually blew down in storms
only a few years later.

Figure 34: Elm Trees in Old Hall Park, John Constable 1817, pencil with washes (V&A
Museum)
Rural landscape
3.29 Agricultural uses are apparent in the rural nature of much of the surrounding fields
and landscape both within the conservation area and forming its setting. There is
pasture and arable crops in evidence. There remain several active farms within the
area, including close in to the village at Richardsons Farm on Gaston Street, and
Willow farm on Gandish Road. Allens Farm, Vale Farm, Gosnalls Farm and Clapper
Farm all fall within the area but are clearly distinct from the village area. Mill Farm
was similarly distinct on the edge of the heath until 20
th
century expansion along
Gandish road.
3.30 The Stour Valley runs south and west of the village with the land within the
conservation area for the most part on the valley slope, flat riverine meadows are

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principally on the western side of the Stour rather than on the East Bergholt side
forming its setting as well as a core area of the Stour Valley National Landscape
(AONB).

Figure 35: View from just south of Flatford Lane looking over the River Stour and Dedham
Vale
3.31 The East Bergholt Heath was formally enclosed in 1817, its lands divided up to the
major landowners and no longer available for common grazing. Routes across it
were formalised into today’s street and road patterns but they remain important
clues to the past trackways. Research by the East Bergholt Society has revealed
surprisingly frequent points of continuity between this ancient landscape area
shown on the two Brasier maps and features that can be found in today’s village
layout.
3.32 The area of open land known as the Box iron (because of its shape) is one area
which has never been put to agricultural use, and which remains undeveloped, an
echo of the former heath and common grazing land. This portion once formed the
village green to the hamlet at Gaston End. After enclosure it continued to be used
for grazing by the farmer of Woodgates. The full extend of the former open land
has been reduced through the encroachment of housing, but the pattern of streets
forming Quinton Triangle remains an important echo of the early layout with the
links along Heath Road and Gandish Road to Burnt Oak also points of continuity
included within the Conservation area.

Figure 36: View into the Box Iron from Quinton Road.

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4. Architectural Character
4.1 This chapter of the report summarises core aspects of the architectural interest
seen within the conservation area. Further detail on individual sub-areas is provided
in later chapters.
4.2 A core characteristic of the architectural Character in East Bergholt is the variety of
materials and details which can be found. This provides visual character and
interest to the streets and experience as well as giving clues to the various periods
of development and evolution of the settlement.
Materials
4.3 Timber framing in a traditional East Anglian tradition is present in several
buildings, not all visible externally. Wherever timber framing survives it represents
important and usually early examples of traditional construction techniques. These
buildings almost all belong at the upper levels of society where they do survive, the
poorer quality of buildings though they may have been primarily timber do not
generally survive though the potential for individual building investigations to reveal
early retained cores of ancient historic framing is considered relatively high.

Figure 37-38: Richardsons Farmhouse (left) and Valley Farmhouse at Flatford (right)
4.4 Timber framing continued to be used in later periods but were frequently rendered,
and utilised smaller scale timbers and wider spacing, reflecting general scarcity of
substantial timbers and also changing tastes and fashions.

Figure 39: Later 18
th
century timber framing on Red Lion cottage, formerly rendered.
4.5 Brick is the predominant solid mass construction material within the village.
Historic records, maps and field names record the presence of brick making in the
local area. In 2021 archaeological excavations by Colchester Archaeological Trust
close to the current medical centre on Heath Road uncovered the remains of a brick
kiln from the 1800s. It is highly likely that many of the brick buildings in East
Bergholt are constructed of local brick. It is present in a variety of colours from pale
white or buff, through to warm red-orange, multiple colours of brick could still be
locally produced depending on the individual clay used. It is used decoratively with
polychrome effects in some 19
th
century buildings including the Congregational
Chapel and the later ranges at Old Hall, but buildings predominantly use a single
colour. Flemish Bond, rising to popularity in the 17
th
century is frequently seen in all
buildings pre-dating the 20
th
century.

Figure 40-41: Brick Houses The Old Rectory (image EBS), fine 18
th
century brickwork in
Flemish bond with gauged brick splayed lintels, ad classical parapet and, (right) a much
more diminutive red brick cottage at the northern end of Gandish road.

Figure 42- 44: Polychrome Brickwork on Jubilee House (top left), Gaston Street (late 19
th

century), Pale white brick on Chapel House (top right, early 19
th
century remodelling of older
house) and red brick with stone detailing at Old Hall (bottom).
4.6 There is very little stone within the village – reflecting its absence from the local
geology. Its most prominent use is on St Mary’s Church where freestone dressings
define corners, openings, pilasters and panels of classic East Anglian flint work in
several styles. Early brick perhaps from an older building, is seen in some aeras in
amongst the earlier areas of flint work. Stone detailing is also seen at Old Hall.

Figure 45: The eastern end of The Parish church with reused brick stone dressings and high
quality flint work.
Roofs
4.7 Historic roofs in the village are predominantly old plain tile, red in colour. They are
seen on the steeper pitched roofs and mansard forms on the older low cottages.
From the 18
th
and early 19
th
century periods, roof pitches become shallower and
natural grey slate is seen, these roofs have a notably contrasting texture from the
older tile. More recent roofs feature more standardised cement tiles including
profiled pan tile. There is limited use of thatch with only Bridge Cottage at Flatford
(Grade II*) and the nearby the Granary being finished with this material though it
is noted that until Spring of 2025 Quintons at Gaston End was thatched. It is highly
likely that many older buildings were once thatched, but like the poorer quality of
domestic timber framed houses, it would have been replaced over time leaving little
trace.
4.8 Roof forms are very varied with gabled, hipped, half hipped, and mansard forms all
seen at various points within the conservation area and contributing to visual
architectural variety. Different roof pitches and alignments in combination with a
variety in building position all add to a sense of variety in the village roofscape. For
the most part roofs are fully visible with eaves overhanging facades. Three of the

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larger classically styled houses (The Old Rectory, Old Chapel House and Little
Court) feature parapets but even here the roofs remains visible above.

Figure 46: Roof forms: Gables, half hipped and mansard, shallow hipped slate, steeper
thatched.

Figure 47: pantiles used on more recent houses (left, north end of Gaston Street, right, far
northern end of Gandish Road).

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Windows and doors
4.9 Windows in the conservation area reflect multiple styles and periods and though
some buildings have clearly seen fenestration replaced or updated, there remains a
good sense of period survivals that enable an understanding of different periods of
window technology. Doors are similarly varied but where more decorative porches
or surrounds survive, they add to architectural interest, particularly reflecting
prevailing fashion for classically styled architecture and in comparative levels of
ornament or complexity also reflect social standing and status.
4.10 Casement windows are seen on many buildings. Alongside timber casements of
various arrangements, they include traditional leaded lights in metal opening
casements on ‘Hatters’ or at Red Lion cottage, where they are attractively pointed.
Those at Richardsons Farm look to be sensitive modern renewals following a
traditional pattern. Th Gables features impressive long runs of leaded lights set into
the close studding of the timber frame.
4.11 Vertical sliding sashes are present on many buildings. They range in number of
panes and arrangements with 2/2 3/6, 6/6, 4/8, 8/8 pattern glazing all seen.
Where historic 2/2 sashes survive they reflect later 19
th
century advances in glass
technology. Multi pane sashes are appropriate to earlier buildings but also may
reflect restoration or replacement to evoke what might be seen as a more
‘traditional’ aesthetic.
4.12 External shutters are not much in evidence though those which remain on Hatters
and the Old House in the village centre are important visual clues to what was
probably much more frequent feature. Brackets and hinges to fix open external
shutters are visible on the walls of The Old Chapel House on Rectory Hill.
4.13 Horizontal sliding sashes, often called ‘yorkshire sashes’ reflecting their frequency
in the north east, are seen at Burnt Oak and also on a property close to Quinton
Triangle. This type of window does not require the complex system of counter
weights found in a traditional sash and can be found in considerably older
properties before the vertical sash became the predominant type.

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4.14 Several buildings in the conservation area retain much larger windows which hint at
former uses as shops, with the large windows used for display now an architectural
clue to lost former uses.
4.15 While the ornamental perpendicular style windows at the Parish Church of St Mary
are of clear high architectural interest, there are several buildings which feature
more ornamental styled windows, particularly with pointed heads or frames.

Figure 48: Sash windows, traditional vertical sliding sashes in variety of formats and
(bottom) horizontal sliding sashes near Quinton Triangle (left) and at Burnt Oak Crossroads
(right)

Figure 49-50: Leaded Windows in a probably 19
th
century bay window (left) and renewed at
Richardsons Farmhouse (Right)

Figure 51: former ‘shop’ display window on left with leaded casements and retained external
shutters on Right. Hatters and The Old house
4.16 Doors within the conservation area are similarly varied with examples of old
traditional plank and batten doors to more classically styled doors with a good
selection of more ornamental surrounds on Georgian and Victorian buildings. There
are porches and simpler hoods over entry ways. Some of the Victorian houses at
Gaston’s end retain what appear to be historic porches, though the doors
themselves have been replaced.

Figure 52: A selection of classically framed doors

Figure 53: Simpler doors, a shared hood porch
4.17 Boundaries of note and historic interest are represented by fine brick walls,
particularly around the larger properties, or by historic iron railings. Hedges and
timber fences are of lesser note though ecological or biodiversity studies of hedges
within the countryside combined with historic map analysis suggest that many of
the hedgerows are ancient boundaries of historic value.
Scale and Massing
4.18 Houses and domestic properties are present at all scales – from the very diminutive
small cottages to much larger properties of the gentry class with accompanying
outbuildings, stables, service ranges and substantial grounds. Stour House and Old

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Hall include a full second storey but all other properties, even the larger, are of two
storeys with perhaps attic rooms served by dormer windows.

Figure 54-55: Stour House a formal gentry house in contrast to much smaller cottages at
Burnt Oak crossroads.
4.19 The congregational Chapel and Church of St Mary alongside the village hall on
Gandish Road are the larger non domestic properties. The Lambe School remains
on a very domestic scale. Barns behind Richardsons Farm are modern large scale
buildings and reflect their ongoing agricultural uses but are very concealed from the
street. At Flatford the mill building has a considerable footprint and reflects its
industrial functions through its proximity to the water and features such as the
overhead loading hoist. The current brick building is the product of investment and
rebuilding by the Constable family after Abraham Constable (Grandfather to John)
purchased the mill in 1742. Rebuilding by Golding Constable, including the cottages
proceeded at the same time as constructing a new house in the village centre, East
Bergholt House.

Figure 56: Flatford Mill ( centre right) with Millers House on the left, and the granary beyond
on the far right.
Listed and Positive local buildings or structures
4.20 East Bergholt contains a substantial number of listed buildings which are, in their
status, recognised as being of national significance. They are listed in Appendix 2.
4.21 The provisions of Section 1.5 of the Planning (listed buildings and conservation
areas) Act 1990 means that other buildings or structures within the curtilage of
listed buildings may also be considered as part of the listed building. This report
does not quantify the extent of listing for any of the designated assets within the
conservation area, that role is ultimately for the local authority who determine what
type of application may be required.
Positive contributor buildings
4.22 The following represents a list of buildings and structures which are deemed to be
positive to the character and appearance of the conservation area, they are
highlighted on the individual Character area maps. They may retain a good degree
of period characteristics, particularly relating to the evolution of the village over the
course of the 19
th
and early 20
th
century. Some have associative interest with
notable architects. There is a group of structures at Flatford which are not
individually listed, and which are heavily ‘restored’ during the National Trusts
curatorship but which remain important foci for understanding the history of the
river and with visual links to Constable’s paintings.

Figure 57: The Village Sign
• 19
th
century houses along Gandish Road and at Gaston End which reflect the
development of the village after the heath was enclosed and prior to phases
of mass housebuilding. Those which are ostensibly well preserved and
retaining features such as their original period windows or doors are
identified.

Figure 58: Victoria Bakery, at Gaston End, retaining date stone ‘1897’, traditional brickwork
and probably original plate sash windows. The adjacent Victoria Cottage has seen ts windows
replaced, though it is contemporary.
• East Bergholt Congregational Chapel, The only non conformist religious
structure within the area and an imposing
• 1-3 Gandish Road, surviving 19
th
century cottages with surviving period
features and comparatively focal role at this entry to the conservation area.
• Houses and village Hall by Raymond Erith including five houses on Gandish
Road, one at the eastern end of Rectory Hill and one, ‘Pound House’ in the
village centre.

Figure 59: Kells, one of the houses by Raymond Erith at Burnt Oak
• Flatford lock, dry dock and bridge. Riverine features which are closely
associated with the river’s practical history for transportation and with
important associations with Constable’s work as subject matter.
• Farmhouse and barns at Allans’ Farm (not inspected closely) representative
example of farmhouse with legible farm buildings indicating connection to
countryside in preserved rural setting and surroundings.

Figure 60: view towards Allans Farm and its traditional barns

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5. Setting and Views
5.1 The setting of the conservation area is large, encompassing the landscape and
additional settlement which surrounds the designated area. As the suggested
conservation area is so substantial, an ‘experience’ of it as a whole is not afforded
from any single point.
5.2 Rural agricultural landscape surrounds much of the conservation area, and extends
seamlessly from the open rural areas proposed within the conservation area
whether it be on the valley floor towards Dedham or on the higher plateau
farmlands to the north and north east. This ongoing connectivity and seemlessness
between the extended designated area and its rural surroundings provides a
continued ability to understand the fundamentally rural economy of East Bergholt
over time and continuing today. This sense is most apparently eroded and reduced
where new housing is extending east along Heath Road, and to the north, where its
expansion is constraining the sense of rural landscape to the east of Hadleigh Road.
5.3 Dedham Vale lies to the south and south west, its own importance is reflected in its
identification as a National Landscape (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).

Figure 61: view from above Vale Farm looking south towards Dedham

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5.4 Modern development encloses the conservation area on the north of Hadleigh and
Heath Roads. Modern housing also characterises the eastern area of setting, though
there are interspersed historic buildings extending along White Horse Road. These
areas of setting represent the more recent expansion of residential provision and
services to the historic village. To the north this expansion dates primarily from the
post war period onwards and by and large is represented by single housing
developments of an entirely predictable and unremarkable nature. This new
development is most apparent on the northern side of the Donkey Track . This
expansion of modern housing has directly eroded opportunities to continue to
experience continuity between the historic core of the village and its supporting
rural landscape. Though the land off Donkey Track retains this wider connectivity to
the east, past Gandish Road, on the north, it is curtailed by new housing.
5.5 Entrances and exits on Hadleigh and Gandish Roads are green and verdant with
links to open countryside and mature tree cover, there are attractive green
‘tunnels’ of trees on entry into the conservation area. They are important in
understanding a continuity between the historic core and its rural surroundings.
This impression is also clearly present on the south, where entrances on the into
the conservation area are entirely pedestrian from the public footpath network
along the Stour Valley and along the ancient lanes and tracks leading up from the
river.
5.6 To the east, and from the north by Gaston End entrance is characterised by built up
areas with high proportion of modern dwellings reflecting the growth of settlement
as a whole. The approach along White Horse Road retains a mixture of building
periods and a generally more open character on the approach to the historic cluster
at Burnt Oak.

Figure 62: Approaching the conservation area along white horse Road, verdant trees on
Rectory Hill form the skyline and there is a sense of openness even to the more recent
housing before the conservation area; Kells is visible in the distance.
5.7 Where the setting of the conservation area retains continuity with the open
landscape of the historic periods of East Bergholt’s development, prior to the mass
housing growth of the 20
th
century, it continues to contribute positively to the
historic values, character and appearance of the conservation area.
Views
5.8 Important views within each character sub-area are highlighted in the next
chapters. The views identified are not considered an exhaustive or exclusive
selection, though single points of view are highlighted on the various maps,
alternate positions may be similarly positive or enable a similar experience. Merely
because a particular vantage point is highlighted, does not mean other perspectives
are not also positive. It is important to note that those identified ‘views’ are not
designed or set out with intention, as might be the case within a designed
landscape for example. They fall instead into the following types:
• Vantage points from which the distinctive and particular character of the
individual sub-areas is particularly notable.
• Viewpoints as part of a moving experience through the character areas and
conservation area as a whole, particularly at boundaries between the different
character areas.

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• Vantage points where focal buildings are most strikingly or meaningfully
experienced as part of the wider area or in a group context – these views are
not necessarily related to the specific experience of any single building, but
the experience of the buildings within the area and other groups.
• Vantage points where particular contrast between developed and open space
is important to character, or where there is contrast between areas of more
spacious or open character and areas of greater enclosure and intimacy within
the built area. This may be opportunities to experience and understand the
proximity of rural and agricultural land in context with former or extant farm
buildings remains clear, or where parkland character associated with some of
the larger buildings is a distinct element of an area’s character and history.
5.9 Views associated with the paintings of John Constable contribute a distinct strand of
artistic and historic interest which run throughout the conservation area and are of
such significance that they are considered separately, where they fall within a
particular character area they are of course highly contributory to that area’s
artistic interest and historic character. The character area maps do not reproduce
the identified vantage points of every Constable work, readers are directed to the
excellent website by the East Bergholt Society which has collated and provided this
information: https://www.ebsoc.org.uk/.
5.10 The conservation area as suggested is large. Opportunities to experience it as a
whole are limited, though broad views from across the Dedham Vale enable an
understanding, to a degree, of the settlement position. Wider landscape views of
significance are described and discussed in full within the Heritage Landscape
Appraisal (Heritage Collective 2020).
The landscape paintings of John Constable
5.11 Within East Bergholt, a critical element of its special and unique character relates to
the landscape, buildings and village scenes which were painted by John Constable
over the course of his life (1776 – 1837). Now internationally renowned he is best
known for his paintings representing the rural character of Dedham Vale
surrounding East Bergholt. Constable was born in East Bergholt and it is here that
he grew and developed from amateur to iconic artist. During his lifetime he
struggled for recognition and his reputation was perhaps held in higher esteem in

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France, where his use of colour in his landscape paintings were considered quite
radical for the time and is thought to have influenced the Impressionists.
5.12 In current times however, his work is the highest valued British Art on the
international market, they are of international significance. His paintings Dedham
Vale (1820) and The Haywain (1821), are perhaps the most popular and valuable
works of British Art but examples of all forms of his work are held in prestigious
international collections, highly valued, and highly visited. The painting Dedham
Vale with the River Stour in Flood was rediscovered in a private collection and was
valued by Sotherbys in 2017 with an estimate of £2- 3 million. It was painted from
the grounds of the Old Hall in East Bergholt with the view extending across the
Stour towards Dedham. The cultural and artistic association of Constable with the
scenery of East Bergholt, Dedham Vale, the River Stour and Flatford Mill, is
exceptional. The Haywain is one of the most iconic paintings in the history of British
Art and is on permanent display at The National Gallery.
5.13 It is difficult to sufficiently emphasise how loved and valued Constable’s work is as
exemplifying this artist’s emotive and skilful rendering of the English Countryside
and pastoral life, his love for this place and landscape, skies, water and the people
who occupied this area is palpable in his work and opportunities to connect to this
are highly valued by visitors to this area.

Figure 63: the scene of The Haywain in June 2025

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5.14 The opportunities which remain today, within the conservation area and its
surroundings, to stand at the points where Constable painted, frequently ‘en plein
air’ from life, and experience a landscape which has, in many cases, changed little
offers a unique perspective and opportunity to gain a real connection to the past
and the world as seen and recorded by one of the countries most beloved
landscape artists. The desire to experience a landscape and perhaps find similar
inspiration and emotive response remains a strong driver for visitors to East
Bergholt. Constable’s biographer Charles Leslie wrote of Constable that:
“His nature was peculiarly social and could not feel satisfied with scenery,
however grand in itself, that did not abound in human associations. He required
villages, churches, farmhouses and cottages”
5.15 In this way the strand of artistic interest which links Constable to the conservation
area is perhaps unique. He worked specifically to record and reflect the ‘truth’ of
the area in which he lived. Even at that time, it was a place with ancient remains
and customs, landscapes on the brink of change and buildings and occupations
shifting through the seasons. Though the process of change has not stopped since
Constable’s time, his artistic output is fascinatingly linked to capturing the
‘character and appearance’ of his home – now the evolved character and
appearance of the conservation area.
5.16 The East Bergholt Society has compiled a detailed database of the paintings and
vantage points which is an invaluable resource to those interested in understanding
the connection between today’s landscape and village, and Constable’s work. The
Historic Landscape Study sets out in Section 4 a fuller appraisal of Constable’s
Paintings. This section acknowledges that work and sets out a summary of that
evidence recognising the following areas which fall within the conservation area and
where the landscape characteristics which inspired the artist in the past may still be
studied and appreciated in the landscape today. Obviously, aspects have changed,
Constable’s family home, and his father’s windmill on the Heath have been lost, but
other areas retain a stronger degree of verisimilitude which contributes a major
aspect of historic, landscape and artistic value to the special character and
appearance of the conservation area.

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5.17 The Historic Landscape Character Study identifies and illustrates clearly the key
locations which were foci for his prolific output; the locations are covered in full
within Chapter 4 of the Character Study. They are summarised as follows:

Figure 64: Locations of concentrations of Constable works within the context of the
Conservation Area (extract from Historic Landscape Study, 2020)
East Bergholt Common and the Heath
5.18 East Bergholt Common and Heath was the location of the Constable family windmill,
at which John Constable worked before persuading his father to allow him to pursue
a career as an artist. His time there, regularly watching the wide skies for changes
in the weather, is broadly accepted as having contributed to his skill in depicting
the skies and clouds. Views to and from East Bergholt House, his father’s windmill
and towards the Old Rectory took in gardens, the field boundaries and labourers
working the land, different seasons and weather conditions all of which reflect his
deep connection to this area. The romantic undertones of the paintings and
drawings looking over this landscape and towards the Old Rectory in particular are
heightened with knowledge of the history of Constable and his long courtship to

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Maria Bicknell, granddaughter to the formidable rector of East Bergholt at that time,
Rev. Rhudde. Paintings from the donkey track towards her home, completed while
they were courting take on a particular poignance with knowledge of how long they
were forced to stay apart by social and familial expectation.
5.19 Despite various changes which have intruded into the historic landscape, or
changed its character from the historic situation (the loss of the Constable family
windmill, the planting of a millennium wood which has reduced the open field
character north east of the Donkey Track, and the introduction of modern housing
and overhead cabling between the Donkey Track and Heath Road ) there remains an
exceptionally strong sense of continuity between the core compositional elements
of Constable’s works in this area and the landscape today. This is particularly true
when walking The Donkey Track and looking back towards the Rectory and village,
away from the modern housing.

Figure 65: East Bergholt. (1813) Oil on Cardboard. © Yale Center for British Art
East Bergholt House,
5.20 East Bergholt House was constructed by Golding Constable and was John
Constable’s childhood home and point of continuity throughout his life to the death
of his parents. It was then vacated by the Constable family in 1819 after it had
been sold to a family friend, Walter Clerk. It was not maintained and was

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eventually pulled down some 20 years later. Boundary walls, the stables and the
front railings remain but it is Constable’s paintings and drawings of his family home
which provide some of the best indications of the artist’s love for his home and its
strong role in his artistic career and inspiration, he declared himself that ‘This place
was the origin of my fame’ (1832 inscription to ‘English Landscape’).

Figure 66: East Bergholt House. Oil on millboard. 1811 © V&A. The V&A description of this
painting is as follows: “This panoramic view depicts Constable’s birthplace, with East
Bergholt church to the left… Constable recalled with delight the scenes where his ‘ideas of
Landscape were formed’ and ‘the retrospect of those happy days and years’”.
The Village Heart: Church of St Mary ; Old Hall and Old Hall Park; Cottages and
street scenes
5.21 Constable depicted not only his own family’s East Bergholt House or views to and
from it, but the surrounding village as a whole. Friendships with local individuals
gave him access into their gardens and grounds (West Lodge now Stour House and
Old Hall), as well as the general village and its buildings. The depiction of all
aspects of daily life in his home and nearby Suffolk countryside and river valleys
were critical to his artistic development, in his own words these local scenes:
“made me a painter, and I am grateful”; “the sound of water escaping from mill
dams etc., willows, old rotten planks, slimy posts, and brickwork, I love such
things”
5.22 There are at least ten studies of the church held by the V+A collections in several
different mediums exhibiting Constable’s range and skill, as well as his practice.
There is a high degree of continuity between the building as drawn and its situation
today.

Figure 67: The Porch of East Bergholt Church, as painted by Constable in 1810 and today.
5.23 Old Hall was the subject of two commissioned paintings and other works, studies
and sketches building on the collection of works focussed on the other buildings in

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the village centre particularly West Lodge (now Stour House) and the Church of St
Mary. The park was also the location for wider views out over Dedham Vale.

Figure 68: “Old Hall Park” Oil on Canvas, 1801, Private collection
5.24 There are a number of studies and sketches within the village of the cottages,
streets and spaces as well as specific events (‘Celebration of the General’ 1815; ‘A
Village Fair’ 1811). Though not all of these can be firmly located, they provide
invaluable insight into the character of the village and its buildings at this time.
While there are some striking points of similarity (see ‘East Bergholt Street’, pen
and ink sketch 1796- 1799), in other cases Constable’s paintings are now some of
the only records to buildings and areas lost or significantly altered – not least his
depictions of his father’s house, or the Village green, eroded at enclosure.
Village lanes
5.25 Fen Lane, leading down from Flatford Lane, was a regular walking route for
Constable on his way to school in Dedham but also between his family’s properties
at Flatford and in the village. They include a pleasing combination of intimate
secluded country lanes, and the broader landscape beyond. ‘Fen Lane’, now in the
Tate’s collection reflects a landscape still recognisable today though hedgerows

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have grown up, and possibly Constable amended his backgrounds, it is known that
he adjusted landscapes, trees, field boundaries in some of his paintings.
In moving between the buildings and spaces of the village heart out to the
countryside the conservation area has great continuity with what is depicted in
Constable’s works.

Figure 69: “Fen Lane, East Bergholt” Oil on Canvas, 1817, Tate
Landscape and agricultural fields
5.26 Views painted looking across the Stour valley both towards Stratford St. Mary, or
Dedham, and back from the valley towards East Bergholt provide insight into the
wider landscape during Constable’s time, similarity between the paintings and
todays landscapes enables connection to his vision with core landmarks such as the
church towers in neighbouring villages providing important fixed landmarks.
Flatford
5.27 The mill was operated by the Constable family for nearly a century. The buildings
and river, locks, boats and workers are common subjects in Constable’s work.

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5.28 Flatford Mill (scene on a navigable River) is constable’s largest exhibition canvas,
dating to 1816 it was the forerunner to the series of ‘six footers’, all focussing on
the River Stour and exhibited from 1819. There is a strong sense of continuity
available today between the riverine landscape and the collection of buildings at
Flatford and Constable’s paintings. There is strong public accessibility to lands in
the National Trust’s stewardship, and aspects of interpretation and explanation,
enabling an important and meaningful level of access to this strand of artistic value
and character within the conservation area.

Figure 70: Constable’s paining “Flatford Mill” Oil on Panel, 1810-1811, Yale with today’s
scene below, June 2025

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6. Character Areas
6.1 The subsequent sections of this report provide a description and summary of
identified sub- character areas which make up the conservation area as a whole.
These areas are drawn together by consistent characteristics either in terms of the
spatial arrangements or building type, functions, use and activity, or by historic
association and artistic values. The various areas are illustrated in core figures
which also identify certain features of significance or visually focal buildings (listed
or unlisted) and e ach section includes notes on particularly distinctive elements of
materiality, spatial arrangement, or features.
6.2 The sub character area maps are included at appendix 3, and their characteristics
are summarised as follows:
1 – The Village Centre to Gaston End
This sub area represents the commercial heart of the village and extension in a
more domestic character up along Gaston Street and to include the development at
Gaston End which wraps around a retained open area known locally as the Box
Iron, because of its shape within quintons Triangle formed by Quinton Road, heath
Road and Woodgates Road. The southern part of this area contains a concentration
of commercial, community, retail and other activity and then becomes
predominantly domestic along the length of Gaston Street and towards Gaston End.
The area around the junction between The Street and Cemetery Lane is where the
perception of a village core is clearest. This part of the village is more dense and
tightly developed both in the tightly spaced area. There is a consistent domestic
character with relatively tightly spaced housing and intimate streets. Areas of wider
spacing or glimpses out to more open ground are fewer.
2 – Constable’s Heartland
The open landscape from the Donkey Track down towards Flatford Lane epitomised
by a very large number of Constable’s paintings stretching from the Heath and his
family’s windmill right down to the views over the Dedham vale and including
scenes of the larger buildings within the village core including the Church of St Mary
the Virgin. Accommodation within this area includes the ancient manorial core of

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Old Hall and beyond that is larger, and spacious properties, with substantial
wooded gardens accessed from Rectory Hill and though there are some newer
buildings, there is a high sense of historic continuity within the area.
3 – Dead Lane to Hadleigh Road
Larger single properties surrounded by associated land, mainly rural and with
identified farmsteads but with distinct areas of more formal ‘parkland’ character
around the larger dwellings. Archaeological potential in the north of this area. Dead
Lane and ancient historic trackway through woodland and plantation, not all old,
forms the western edge of both parish and conservation area at this point. A very
rural feeling distinct from village core but important links to more isolated large
properties that were still linked to the village, a strong sense of rural authenticity
offering opportunities to connect to the past with limited infill or encroachment.
4 – Burnt Oak
A remnant of ancient encroachment onto the heath edge and an outlying
settlement ‘Burnt Oak’ with older houses clustered around the cross roads and post
war development extended northwards to connect formerly isolated 19
th
century
agricultural cottages and farm at the north end of Gandish Road to the historic
crossroads. A particular strand of architectural and associative architectural interest
linked to renowned architect Raymond Erith whose work is represented in a group
of houses and the village hall.
5 – Flatford Mill
Epitomised in Constable’s paintings with limited modern introductions, a distinct
hamlet with unique riverine character and core historic buildings that have a high
degree of continuity with the past. Archaeological values in remnants of ancient
settlement and a moated site as well as in relic boundaries from the pre-enclosure
period as reflected on the Brasier map. An important centre of tourism and visitor
activity. Largely managed by National Trust. Significant links both visually and in
public walking routes outwards across the valley into the protected landscape of the
Dedham Vale.

Figure 71: East Bergholt Sub-Character Areas

Figure 72: Character Area map (see also Appendix 3)
Historic Summary
7.1 The southern end of this sub area represents the central focus of early settlement
and activity to the west and north west of the church and principal manorial site
(Old Hall). Gaston Street extending to the north connected the village core to
Gaston End to the north, a smaller outlying focus of settlement on the edge of the
former heath.
7.2 Development close to the church was comparatively tight knit from early periods
with widening of the streets north west of the church, both including ponds,
reflecting early medieval or post medieval communal ‘village greens’, now almost
entirely gone, with only a small triangle of land bearing the village sign all that is

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left of the southern village green. That portion was enclosed in 1817 and taken into
the property ownership of the Rev. W. Deane who constructed the white brick wall
visible in the image below around his house West lodge, now Stour.

Figure 73-4: (left) Brasier map extract of centre with area today (right) with the much
reduced open area and the white brick wall constructed by the Rev. Deane when he enclosed
the rest of this green in 1817.
7.3 The road extending northwards, Gaston Street, is now one of the primary routes
into and through the village. Even in the early 19
th
century this route featured
houses, a school and police station illustrating the extension of village activity along
the route.
7.4 The ‘Box Iron’ so named for its shape, is a remnant of the historical open heathland
of East Bergholt Heath. It features mature trees and a pond. The 1733 plan of the
heath does not show East Bergholt, but its northern extent at Gaston End is clearly
illustrated, along with the beginnings of houses around ‘Quintons Triangle’. Its full
extent was encroached on from the 19
th
century and particularly early 20
th
century
but the outline is still traceable in the road layout.
7.5 The extension of the village around this character area is most palpable to the
north and west where substantial single phase housing developments separate the
historic route and buildings from the once rural surroundings. But the connection
between the properties on the eastern side of Gaston Street to the continuing open
land to the east, along the Donkey Track, has a greater sense of historic continuity
of the importance of this route and the rural basis for the village. The continuing
presence of farm buildings in this area – Richardsons Farm – cements that link.

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Summary of special interest
7.6 The remnant of open land with the pond at ‘The Box Iron’ in Quintons Triangle at
Gaston End is an important area of open land reflecting the early heath in its
longstanding lack of arable cultivation. Fragments of undeveloped and uncultivated
former heath are important echoes of past common land and contextual links
between this small area and larger preserved areas along the Donkey Track are
positive to historic and archaeological values even if not directly intervisible.
7.7 The village core reflects the deep longevity of human activity and settlement in the
area within its wide variation of building materials, types and building function. This
variety within this core area is an important aspect of its architectural interest and
character. Remnants of various strands of historic interest are legible in this area
from larger farm houses still associated with open land, through communal interest
in public houses, shops, the historic village school, chapels and multiple houses –
all of which enrich our ability to connect to the past human activity which has
shaped the settlement.
7.8 Artistic interest in this area is, as with the entirety of the conservation area closely
linked to John Constable and those which focus on the village heart and its
buildings. A cluster of his works relate to the area at the southern end of this
character area and just into the adjacent area from the Church eastwards, most
importantly his sketch of his former workshop Rose Cottage (Grade II listed).

Figure 75: ‘East Bergholt Street’ , Pen and Watercolour, 1796- 1799, V&A

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Figure 76: the view today. Though obviously much changed there are points of continuity
which render it recogniseable.
Street and plot patterns
7.9 This area follows an approximately linear route from the village centre and The
Street, along the broadly straight line of Gaston Street and on until it joins Gaston
End and then splits around Quinton Triangle. Other routes are captured in part
where they join in to The Street or Gaston Street. The street pattern is historic,
though generally with modern characteristics in terms of road surface and
pavement materials. Early widened areas which once formed village greens have
been eroded or adopted to different uses.
7.10 There is a pleasing contrast on Gaston Street between the straight and relatively
open southern portion, to a more enclosed, winding and intimate character at the
northern end past Richardsons Farmhouse.
7.11 Plots generally extend back from the routes in comparatively regular rectangular
layouts. Many of these appear to have long lived continuity when tracking back
across historic maps. Higher density in the village core, and more irregular layouts
with closely spaced buildings is distinctive in this concentrated area. A smaller scale

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of plot division is also notable at the northern end of Gaston Street, and around
Quintons Triangle. The southern end of Gaston Street has a wider spacing and
more spacious feel with distinct glimpses between houses to mature trees and
greenery between and behind buildings.
7.12 Boundary definition is mixed. There are examples of timber fencing, metal railings,
hedges and brick walling seen throughout the area. Where hedges or front garden
planting combined with more open railings or fences are seen, these boundaries
contribute to a sense of verdant greenery. Where taller boundary walls are present,
particularly around larger properties they contribute to a sense of enclosure.

Figure 77: The northern end of Gaston Street, varied boundaries with walls, fencing, hedges.
7.13 In the village centre, where Cemetery Lane meets The Street, there is a
concentration of buildings which rise direct from the rear edge of the pavement, but
even here Chapel house and the Old Post Office on the west side of The Street and
Fountain House to the east have mature front gardens which draw greenery into
the centre.
7.14 Moving along Gaston Street to the north, aside from the boundary wall to The
Gables, which defines the junction to Hadleigh Road, all properties begin to be set
back from the road with front gardens. There is a broadly consistent building line
but it is not rigid with some houses set further back, some closer to the road. The
Lambe School is almost directly adjacent to the pavement edge, in contrast to
buildings around it. With the combination of building styles and boundary

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treatments there is a pleasant variety which avoids monotony and speaks to the
long period over which the road was filled in to its current level of development.
Building types and uses
7.15 Though this area contains a focus for the commercial and business uses within the
conservation area, the majority of buildings are domestic with former shops also
now in domestic use and with fewer hints at former uses overly visible within the
buildings, though large windows do sometimes signal past commercial uses.
7.16 Houses are represented on a number of social scales, from smaller historic cottages
and terraces as well as mid 20
th
century bungalows, through medium and
substantial free standing or semi detached houses in relatively generous gardens.
This area does not contain what might be considered ‘gentry’ houses which are
instead found in sub areas 2 and 3.
7.17 Public houses are located in both the village centre (The Red Lion currently closed)
and further north in this area which served Gastons End (The Carriers’ Arms and
The Hare and Hounds, all within listed buildings).
7.18 There is a small collection of shops, cafes and other functions in the village centre.
They occupy both historic and modern properties continuing a sense of activity
within the village core. Historic shops are occasionally recognisable through clues in
their structure. Others have been identified through local accounts and references
which provide access and enrich understanding (Stuarts, GII listed building
formerly Tarbin Grocers and Suppliers).

Figure 78: ‘Hatters and The Old house” though domestic in their fundamental nature, large
former display windows and the retained historic signage hints at their commercial past in
the village centre.
Building scale and massing
7.19 The majority of buildings in this area are two storeys in height. Smaller buildings
are present including the diminutive cottages of Hatters and the Old House in the
centre pictured above, and a series of bungalows added in the post war period at
the northern end of Gaston Street. Bungalows and single storey or storey and a half
buildings are also more prevalent on the southern side of Quinton’s triangle.
7.20 Buildings of both single or two storeys may have rooms in the roof indicated with
dormer windows or skylights. Heights are varied, particularly where differing
building traditions were governed by vernacular material characteristics and
properties, or more standardised or modern materials. Contrasting heights between
a smaller two storey Victorian Cottage, or a modern house governed by building
regulations or guidance reflect differing periods of development as well as variety in
the architectural styles present.
Materials and details
7.21 This part of the village is particularly distinctive in the variety of materials which
can be found making up its buildings. There are a series of striking timber framed
buildings which retain externally expressed traditional timber framing (Chaplins,

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Richardsons Farmhouse and Stuarts) within the area and many others are rendered
but with distinct characteristics of a traditional timber frame. Several of the listed
buildings are identified as having timber framed cores behind later facades.
7.22 Brick makes up the primary solid mass construction type but there is a huge range
in colour variety from white, yellow or buff through to warmer red orange tones.
Contrasting colour brickwork is sometimes used around openings or on corners.
Flemish bond is the most frequent traditional bond, though more recent houses
exhibit less variety and utilise stretcher bond. Several houses are rendered, or have
painted facades with white, cream or pinkish colours predominating.
7.23 Roof forms are similarly varied and there is little sense of a single dominant ‘type’
though throughout this character area roofs meet the facades with overhanging
eaves, there are no incidences of houses with roofs concealed behind parapets.
There are hipped forms and examples of half-hips, shallow Georgian slopes, and a
wide variety of steeper pitches, gambrel roofs are seen on the old smaller cottages
in the centre, and at Gastons End. As previously mentioned attic accommodation is
clear through dormer windows which might appear on all slopes, and be either
pitched or flat. Roofing materials are generally a mix of local clay tile, or slate,
particularly on the shallow roofed Georgian buildings. A single thatched building is
found at Quintons by Gaston End and modern houses feature concrete tiles and
some rippled pantiles.
Public realm, open spaces and trees/green landscape
7.24 The Box Iron is an important open space, though in private ownership with no
public access. It represents a core early stage in the village’s evolution and
contributes to historic and archaeological and landscape qualities.
7.25 The remnant of the rest of this open triangle of former heath land is also retained
where Quinton Road splits from Heath Road, the quality of this space is
comparatively poor and overgrown with a set of damaged iron railings but it
remains visually somewhat open and green. The tree cover screens the later
houses which have been built up on the triangle of former heath land.

Figure 79: The undeveloped ‘corner’ of Quintons Triangle between Heath Road and Quinton
Road. Trees covered by TPOs.
7.26 The cemetery represents a formal space with public pathways and some public
access connected into the centre of the village via cemetery lane and across a
meadow to the village public car park.
7.27 Further publicly accessible but private land like public house gardens and the
allotment gardens south of the Hare and Hounds or north of the main church yard,
create some sense of space and contribute to a sense of activity within the village.
The allotment gardens were once much more extensive, they remain a positive
public resource.

Figure 80: The pub garden at The Hare and Hound with further openness provided by
allotments which sit behind the garden area.
7.28 Private gardens, particularly of the larger houses, make an important contribution
to the sense of greenery and openness even within the core of the village. Mature
trees are predominantly within private gardens, but are very important to the
character of this area softening built forms, providing variety in street scenes.
Key views
7.29 View in village centre towards Cemetery Lane, replicating Constable’s sketch.
7.30 Long views along Gaston Street. And contrasting views where the shift between
straight and open and more enclosed and winding is experienced.
7.31 The view on entering the conservation area along Elm Road where the mature
trees and striking timber framed building at Richardsons Farm signals arrival in the
historic area of settlement.
7.32 Views into the Box Iron, particularly from Quinton Street where a concentration of
historic buildings, listed and unlisted in combination with this open land create a
positive experience.

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7.33 View in the village core towards the shop, a view sketched by Constable with
distinct points of recogniseable similarity
Audit of Heritage assets
7.34 There are 43 listed buildings within this sub- area, the majority are listed Grade II,
Chaplins towards Gaston End is Grade II*. The listed buildings are concentrated in
the southern end of the area around the village centre and at Gaston End, but with
a regular distribution of listed buildings along Gaston Street which indicates the
historic and architectural quality of this street. Though some properties have
individually listed boundary walls or railings, it is noted that the provisions of
Section 1.5(b) of the Act may well extend the protection of the main listed building
to associated ancillary structures in the curtilage of the listed buildings.
7.35 Many of un- listed buildings within this area certainly contribute positively to the
area where their exteriors retain a strong degree of period integrity, irrespective of
what age they are, and a good degree of survival with limited alteration. Other
buildings which have particular links to local notable personages or specific East
Bergholt events or functions are also considered of local interest.
7.36 The Congregational Church and red lion Public House are large buildings in the
village centre, the steep gable of the Church, though back a little way from the
main road offers a visual focal point. Richardsons Farm House with its striking
evergreens outside and alignment make it focal on entering the village from Elm
Lane. At Gaston End The Hermitage faces across the relatively open junction
between Quintons Road and Heath Road and with its gables is a notable feature at
this end of the character area. Quintons House and Cottage terminate the view
moving north along Quintons Road and with peripheral views to oler properties to
the west offers an historic focal structure in conjunction with the open area of the
Box Iron.
Issues and opportunities
7.37 There is a distinct lack of fully public open space within the village core. This
renders the ‘borrowed’ sense of space which is provided by large gardens or open
land in private ownership which might be experienced from the public domain as

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sensitive. Further development and encroachment would erode the sense of rural
character which is contributed to by these areas.
7.38 There are few truly detracting buildings or features in this area. The empty and
boarded up Chaplains/Gascoigne cottage is ostensibly in decline and in need of
investment. Loss of garden space and paving over of front gardens for parking on
Woodgate Road has slightly lessened the sense of rural village character becoming
more suburban. Removal of front boundaries to facilitate on site parking within
properties should be considered very carefully and avoided where this would erode
the sense of village and green character along streets.
7.39 The car parking area at The Carriers Arms is non descript, extensive and in
comparison to the rest of the area distinctly unattractive. Historic maps show
clearly the erosion of historic boundaries, potentially walls or hedges. The building
is listed, its current setting is poor quality both in terms of its immediate
surroundings and the wider contribution to the conservation area.

Figure 81: The expanse of car parking and non descript forecourt at The Carriers Arms.
7.40 Encouragement and education should be given to all residents in order to secure
sensitive adaptation or improvement to private dwellings in keeping with the

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character and appearance of the conservation area and the specific period of any
individual dwelling. Making the design code familiar to all will avoid the introduction
of poor quality materials or fixtures (uPVC windows, low quality boundary
treatments).

Figure 82: Constables Heartland Sub Character Area
Summary history
8.1 This sub area is largely undeveloped land which sits to either side of large
properties which line Rectory Hill. It includes the early core of settlement focus in
the former principal manorial site of Old Hall, which went from ancient manor,
through 18
th
century country house with expanded parkland at the point of
enclosure, through to a religious community in the later 19
th
and 20
th
centuries. Its
prominent built form in the village centre, with large associated grounds and
gardens is a significant focus for the history of the village.
8.2 This area also contains the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, another focus of
community activity and sprit since the 14
th
century.

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8.3 Rectory Hill is the main route through this area depicted on the Brasier Map linking
the village centre to the satellite hamlet of Burnt Oak, it remained consistent even
at enclosure in 1817 with only limited infilling since then.
8.4 To the north the area is popularly known as The Donkey Track and retains various
characteristics that are recognisable from the pre-enclosure period. This area
extended from the back of properties on Rectory Hill up towards the heath. Much of
the land was owned through the 18
th
and 19
th
centuries by the Constable Family.

Figure 83: The Donkey Track, well used public footpath
8.5 The central part of East Bergholt Heath within this area was criss-crossed with
tracks leading between the various ‘ends’ of settlement and was also the location of
the windmill owned by John Constable’s father. The Constable family owned much
of the land between the Donkey Track and the properties on Rectory Hill and
constable’s links to the Old Rectory were cemented in his relationship with Maria
Bicknell, niece of Dr Rhudde who owned the Old Rectory at the time.
8.6 The enclosure process also saw the establishment of the roads and routes we see
today, including the straightening of Gandish road and regularising of Heath Road
looping back towards Quintons Triangle but no new housing was really added to this
area until the second half of the 20
th
century. New housing begins to be shown on
the 1950s map additions (see Appendix 1) along Gandish road, and from the 1970s
with the housing estates of Chaplins Road. These housing developments now form

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the setting of the conservation area on its northern edge, reflecting the evolution of
the village, but not reinforcing its historic or traditional architectural qualities. The
most recent development is in the process of being constructed off Heath Road
north of the Donkey Track, it has overtly intruded into this important area of
formerly open landscape, curtailing the sense of openness and historic landscape
continuity here.
8.7 South of Rectory Hill, the area is dominated by firstly the land associated with Old
Hall, the principle manorial site within the settlement and then the gently rolling
valley side farmlands down towards the river. Old Hall was acquired in 1701 by
Joseph Chaplain, wine cooper and High Sheriff of Suffolk, who built the core of the
current building to replace an earlier structure. In 1805 Peter Godfrey had
purchased all four manors in East Bergholt and moved in to Old Hall clearing fields,
hop yards and orchards to create a parkland. The house became a Benedictine
nunnery in 1856, at which time the conventual ranges were added and it remained
so until 1975 at which point it became the secular community which are still
present.
8.8 Though there are incidences of 20
th
century housing in this area, including infilling
on Rectory hill, and to the eastern side of Rectory Lane, there is remarkably few
newer houses and the historic nature of the landscape, routes, and main historic
buildings are clearly appreciable to this day.
Summary of special interest
8.9 This sub area is of particular, indeed international, historic and artistic value
because of the connection to John Constable, his artwork and family life. This
central area holds a concentration of viewpoints painted and sketched by Constable
extending from the high point of the heath, down to the intimate lanes south of Old
Hall and down to the River Stour and views over the valley. Despite new housing to
the north this area holds remarkable continuity between the views available today,
and those captured in Constable’s work. Though several key buildings linked to
Constable have been lost (his own family home, his father’s windmill on the heath)
there remains a strong sense of historic integrity and opportunity to connect with
the landscape and buildings which inspired constable’s unique approach to
landscape painting.

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8.10 The limited degree of change or modern introductions along Rectory Hill provide a
characterful and historically rich opportunity to gain a sense of this area in the past.
Street and plot patterns
8.11 This area features Rectory Hill as the primary road through the area, Flatford Lane
and Fen Lane as secondary much smaller rural routes, and ‘The Donkey Track’ , now
a well used footpath running through the northern part of the area.
8.12 The residential plot patterns vary quite considerably but include the larger
properties within the conservation area that take in substantial amounts of land,
and contain mature trees and areas of parkland character (Old Hall, Stour house
and at The Old Rectory). On the western side of the area, towards the village core,
houses are set more closely together, some rising directly from the street.
8.13 The church yard is a core communal area with places to rest, an important
collection of monuments including the Bell Cage and the burial memorial to Golding
and Ann Constable.

Figure 84: The Constable family memorial

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Boundaries
8.14 Boundaries within the rural parts of the area are generally hedges. Within the built
up area along Rectory Hill hedges become distinctly more formalised in contrast
with the rural boundaries seen in the countryside areas. Areas of estate fencing or
railings are found within Old Hall and along some parts of Rectory Hill .
8.15 Boundary walls in brick become more frequent towards the village core, the white
brick wall with recessed panels defining the boundary to Stour House from Flatford
lane is particularly prominent and lengthy. The church yard is raised up behind a
low brick wall much aged with a round tile coping and other properties along
Rectory Hill feature individual stretches – the walls are interspersed with hedges so
the character is varied. The low wall and 18
th
century railings to Constables family
home are listed in their own right.
Building types and uses
8.16 Predominantly residential at the upper social scale, though some smaller houses are
present. Old Hall, is still fundamentally residential albeit for a community rather
than an individual family. It and other larger properties also come with associated
outbuildings and ancillary structures within individual properties, several of which
are visible from the road, particularly at Old Hall where the rear of ancillary ranges
back onto the street providing a sense of enclosure.
8.17 The Church of St Mary the Virgin is the primary non residential structure, and a
focal point for the whole conservation area.

Figure 85: The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin
Building scale and massing
8.18 This sub area contains the larger properties in the area including the church and
Old Hall as the largest. Despite larger footprints and scale of these specific
buildings, two storeys remains the predominant building height.
8.19 The general character of this area is of comparatively large buildings in widely
spaced surroundings. There are smaller properties set in terraces, or small more
closely spaced groups on Church Plain, at Rectory Hill cottage and St Mary’s
Cottage, and Gissings and Dairy Farm cottage.
Materials and details
8.20 Brick is the core building material and features in buildings of all periods as well as
in boundary walls. Render or painted brick is also relatively regular. Several of the
listed buildings in this area are described as timber framed at their core but this is
not a visual characteristic of the architecture in this area, it is present in the 15
th

century Bell Cage in the church yard.
8.21 The church’s flint walls and stone detailing is highly significant and a prominent
contrast to the prevailing brick and render.

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8.22 Sash windows predominate, reflecting the 18
th
century period of many of these
buildings as well as the comparatively higher status of the dwellings, casements are
found in the smaller cottages and houses. Similarly the 18
th
and 19
th
century larger
houses feature a selection of classically styled door cases and generally
symmetrical formal facades.
8.23 Aside from the highly ornamental decorative style of the church, the 19
th
century
conventual ranges of Old Hall exhibit some polychrome decorative façade treatment
a statue and iron cross above the entrances reflecting the religious history of the
building. Decorative barge boards ornament the gables of Robertsons Cottages.

Figure 86:Robertsons Cottages with ornamental barge boards
Public realm, open spaces and trees/green landscape
8.24 This area includes both open countryside and areas of housing and settlement
along Rectory Hill. Because of the mature planting within private gardens and
grounds of the Rectory Hill Properties there is a notably rural feel with many of the
buildings well screened such that from the Donkey Track, there is no real view to
individual buildings in this area and there is a sense of continuous countryside
unless you are directly on Rectory Hill where the buildings are visible and accessed.

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8.25 The public realm is relatively standard in terms of spaces on the highway. Two
areas of parking are present either side of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, both on
areas of former village green, now much reduced in area and altered with the
standard finish and presence of cars. The area to the east, known as Church Plain
has seen the loss of trees, and a former house on the western end so that today
the church yard is more open to this approach from the east
8.26 The church yard of St Mary the Virgin is the most significant open space within the
core. Pubic footpaths give access across the rural landscape within this area and
are well used.
8.27 The rural landscape is the most important area of open space in this area. It is
accessed by way of public footpaths, including the very rural Flatford Lane which is
used by pedestrians as well as vehicles. This sub area encompasses all three of the
landscape character areas identified in the Historic Landscape Appraisal from River
meadowlands, up the rolling valley farmlands and onto the plateau farmlands. What
draws them together in this character area is the artistic works of John Constable
which spans all three and which, with the comparatively small degree of more
recent change, remain clearly understandable.
Key views
8.28 This area contains a core concentration of vantage points captured in the artistic
out put of John Constable. Each of the viewpoints which he drew or painted are
considered key, particularly where their continuity to the situation today remains
palpable and recognisable and are strongly positive aspects of the conservation
area’s character, historic and artistic values. View points within the public domain
have good accessibility to a wide range of visitors, ensuring their legacy can be
widely experienced. They are identified on the East Bergholt Society Website.
8.29 These views extend throughout this character area with concentrations to the north
west around Mill Farm and the former location of the windmill on the edge of the
heath (albeit that these are very altered with the introduction of housing, an area of
woodland and the loss of the windmill itself), through the village centre and all the
views around Donkey Track, East Bergholt House, the Old Rectory and Old Hall, and
towards the wide valley landscape to the south and east with views from Flatford
Lane, Fen Lane and from the grounds of Old Hall or Stour House.

Figure 87: view from the edge of the millenium wood, looking north towards the former
location of Golding Constable’s windmill, mill house is just to the right of the picture.
8.30 From Flatford Lane looking towards East Bergholt Church, a striking view where the
Church is framed by the narrow entry to the lane, the war memorial in the
foreground.
8.31 From outside Beaufort Cottage looking south west along The Street. Historically
significant taking in the remnant of the former village green, but also opportunity to
understand the shifting character between the village heart sub area, and the more
spacious property styles of this sub area.
8.32 Views out across the parkland of Old Hall from Rectory Hill.
8.33 Views on Rectory hill to either side of the shallow Riber valley, buildings are barely
seen and the road has a verdant green quality.
Audit of Heritage assets and focal buildings
8.34 The area contains 20 listed buildings but some of these are the most significant
structures in the village including the Grade I church of St Mary the Virgin and its
Grade I listed Bell cage. Church gate House is listed Grade II* and all others are
grade II.
8.35 Despite the lower grade assigned on the statutory list some of these structures
have particularly important historic links to John Constable or the story of East
Bergholt as a whole: Old Hall the ancient manorial focus of the settlement and
Stour House were both much painted by Constable; The Old Rectory was home to

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Rev. Rhudde, Maria Bicknell’s grandfather; railings to East Bergholt House
(Constable’s childhood home) and the former stable range now called ‘the Court’
represent the only structural survivals from the artist’s childhood home. Constable’s
parents have their burial monument within the church yard.
8.36 The war memorial in conjunction with the church offers important communal and
commemorative focus within the area.
8.37 Gissings and Dairy Farm Cottage are both listed, but are also particularly focal as
the first buildings seen on the street after passing through the striking green
wooded character of the eastern end of Rectory Hill.
8.38 Almost all buildings within this character area that pre-date the 20
th
century could
be considered positive contributors to the area. The three modern introductions
between Old Chapel House and Rectory Hill Cottages are neutral in their
architectural and historic interest but conform to the broad character of the sub-
area particularly with mature gardens and generous property boundaries.

Figure 88: One of three modern houses on Rectory Hill, neutral in many ways but
perpetuating the general pattern of development in this area.

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Issues and opportunities
8.39 Encroachment of modern housing to the north of Donkey Track is visually and
physically intrusive on this important area of landscape with core links to John
Constable’s work. All the areas within the conservation area boundary are
considered of high landscape sensitivity (Historic Landscape Appraisal 2021, fig
5.3). Ongoing housing development of this type and in this open area presents a
distinct risk of further erosion of heritage values, particularly artistic and historic
values linked to the current sense of continuity between todays landscape and that
which inspired Constable’s work.
8.40 The former windmill site is used for general storage, there is little to no ability to
understand or experience how it is important to the history of the village and
Constable’s work. Connection between the fields around the former windmill site,
Mill Farm and the Donkey Track has been partly lessened with the planting of
Millenium Wood which although undoubtedly ecologically valuable, has reduced the
historic openness captured in Constable’s paintings of this area. The loss of the
windmill occurred many years ago. Further erosion of the legibility of the historic
landscape character might arise through additional tree growth or potential further
development of housing.
8.41 The junction around the war memorial features some rather unassuming plain
fencing around a sub station, informally used for posters. In combination with
necessary signage blocking entry to Flatford Lane from this direction, the view from
the church yard is rather cluttered and detracting with the standardised modern
utilities and highways fixtures contrasting with the highly significant heritage
structures. A similarly blunt utility marker has recently been installed at the head of
Fen lane with seemingly little regard to restoration of the verge.
8.42 The sewage works are located in the land south of Rectory Hill, a public footpath
runs close by. Though the nature of the site is necessary it is innately unattractive.
It is, however, relatively well screened by woodland and is not prominent.
8.43 Flatford Lane is a narrow rural route. It has a one way system in place which assists
in alleviating safety issues but ad hoc parking on the lane presents some small
issue both in terms of potential road safety but also in the opportunities to
experience this as a very unaltered route, where the past character can be

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disrupted with the visual presence of cars. Benches on the route form welcome
dwelling points for pedestrians, but standardised bins for rubbish or dog waste are
not visually attractive or subtle.

Figure 89: Ad Hoc parking at the head of Fen Lane

Figure 90: Sub Character Area map, Dead Lane to Hadleigh Road
Historic Summary
9.1 This area extends south from route of the A12, a roman route, and Roman remains
were discovered during the construction of Ackworth House. Potentially this area
contains some of the earliest periods of archaeological survival within the
conservation area.
9.2 The footpath now known as Dead Lane, is very clearly marked on the 1731 Brasier
map, labelled ‘green lane’. It appears on ordnance survey maps labelled as ‘Dead
Lane’ and marks the parish boundary between East Bergholt and Stratford St Mary.
Its character today is that of a green hollow way for pedestrians along, but it was
clearly once more widely used as a track.

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9.3 To the east of Dead Lane are a series of large farmhouses and houses developed
from the 16
th
century onwards through the 19
th
century representing larger
landholdings and dwellings set in rural surroundings but still close to the village.
Active farms are also present, reflecting the importance of the agricultural value of
the land. The Gables, which retains its early timber framed aesthetic, and the Lodge
are the oldest of these large properties. The Lodge was subject to a comprehensive
series of extensions and alterations in later periods.

Figure 91: The Gables (Photograph EBS)

Figure 92: The Lodge. (Great British Life Magazine)

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9.4 In the 19
th
century Ackworth House was constructed within a substantial area of
parkland, as well as Gatton House, closer to the village. The open plateau farmland
to the east of Hadleigh Road began to see development over the course of the 20
th

century and through to the present day, extending the village alongside this area.
9.5 During World War II the woodlands off Dead Lane were the location of a ‘defence
force’ outpost, with remit to defend using guerrilla tactics in the event of Nazi land
invasion.
9.6 Modern introductions into this area are an industrial estate behind Gatton House in
former farm buildings and a new housing group at ‘Painters Place’. Modern housing
constructed east of Hadleigh Road are notable additions to the built area of the
wider village now part of the setting of the conservation area.

Figure 93: Entry to Painters Place.
Summary of special interest
9.7 It represents an historic entrance into the village with the primary routes having
long historic continuity both in terms of the road leading off the A12, and the now
pedestrian route Dead Lane.
9.8 There is strong archaeological potential in this area, particularly around Ackworth
house where remains have already been recorded in the past, and towards the
Roman Route.

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9.9 The natural landscape is attractive and has a long sense of historic continuity with
important listed buildings and their associated structures in compact groups spread
throughout this sub area.
Street and plot patterns
9.10 There is only one street which forms the eastern edge to this sub area Hughes Road
leading into Hadleigh Road to enter the village. Private drives lead off these streets
into the secluded and well set back properties. The current route of Hughes Road
was created in the early 20
th
century, giving more space to the east of The Lodge
and Allens Farm, formerly the route twisted directly past the front of these
buildings.
9.11 Plots are large and irregular, though field boundaries have some continuity with the
arrangement shown back to the Brasier map, along with the location of the
buildings which pre-date the 19
th
century.
Boundaries
9.12 Boundaries in this area are, for the most part, rural hedgerows. At The Gables
where this area extends into the village centre, the red brick boundary wall forms a
striking boundary feature which extends around the streets and into the village car
park.
9.13 In the wider area entrances to the various properties are marked by gates, with
stretches of more formal fencing to either side. There is a small diminutive lodge
building signalling the entry to a larger country house type of arrangement in its
position and nature.

Figure 94: Fence, gates and lodge building to Ackworth House.
Building types and uses
9.14 Larger scale residential properties set in substantial grounds with associated
ancillary buildings are the primary use.
9.15 There remain working farms at Vale Farm, Allens Farm and some remnant of
agricultural use in the larger modern buildings now as a business estate at Gatton
house farm, known as The Gattinetts.
Building scale and massing
9.16 Larger buildings remain generally of two storeys, though a full attic storey is
expressed at The Gables. Footprints of the larger properties may be comparatively
irregular and sprawling with additional structures but they form compact groups
with substantial spacing around.
9.17 The massing of many of the buildings is not appreciable unless within the private
properties as they are all well divided from the public highway.

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Materials and details
9.18 The Gables is an important and well preserved example of East Anglian close
studding. Other buildings are predominantly brick with aspects of timber cladding
or metal sheet cladding on some of the retained agricultural buildings.
9.19 There is much timber cladding at The Gattinetts contributing to its ongoing
reference to agricultural uses in the past.
Public realm, open spaces and trees/green landscape
9.20 There is no substantive publicly accessible open space in this area though Dead
Lane forms a footpath giving access to the western edge. There are pedestrian
routes on the eastern side of Hadleigh Roads of standard build up and character.
9.21 Trees are a dominant and important feature, particularly along Hadleigh road where
they are present on both sides of the street creating a verdant green entry into the
village. This returns at the northern end of Hughes Road where the approach to
A12 is similarly wooded, rural farming landscape between the two contribute to the
illustration of the rural economy of the village and the Plateau farmlands landscape
character.

Figure 95: Tree lined entry into the conservation area on Hadleigh Road. Even in winter as
here the sense of verdant enclosure is clear.

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Key views
9.22 Views from Dead Lane enable an understanding of the valley topography and give
distant glimpses towards Ackworth House.
9.23 Views on arriving in the village and conservation area are pleasantly wooded with
attractive gentle curved routes that provide an attractive sense of arrival in the
village core.
9.24 Views out from the end of Cemetery Lane cover this landscape, and include further
glimpses north towards Ackworth House.

Figure 96: Distant view from the end of Cemetery Lane across this sub area to Ackworth
House
Audit of Heritage assets and focal buildings
9.25 This area contains six listed buildings representing the focal buildings for the large
domestic properties, The Lodge, Ackworth House Gatton and Vale Farms. At the
larger properties, other ancillary buildings if they are historic may be considered as
both contributing to their settings or to meet the tests for curtilage provision under
section 1.5(b) of the Act and be considered as part of the listed building. Despite
the scale and historic interest of these principal dwellings they are almost entirely
invisible from the public domain.

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9.26 Dead Lane is an historic route which spans a discrete stretch of the parish
boundary. It has some characteristics of an ancient hollow way and might be
considered both a positive feature within the conservation area and a non-
designated asset in its own right.
9.27 The Gables, though comparatively screened from the public domain is a focal point
where this character area meets the village centre, its boundary wall and mature
tree cover are focal aspects of both the junction between the Street and Gastton
Street and Hadleigh Road.
9.28 The new development at Painters Place is visually prominent, though newly planted
trees may soften its appearance over time and contribute to the green entry into
the village on this route.
9.29 Allens Farm is visible across open fields. Though not prominent, it is legible as an
agricultural collection of buildings and offers important historic links to the past
economy of the area in continued close proximity to the village.
Issues and opportunities
9.30 The encroachment of modern housing to the north of Hadleigh Road is affecting the
historic setting of the conservation area, eroding and lessening the connection
between the historic core and its supporting rural landscape.
9.31 Though Dead Lane is connected to a wider network of footpaths at its southern end,
pedestrian links at the northern end are poor somewhat limiting wider access to
this historic route.

Figure 97: Sub- Character Area, Burnt Oak and Gandish Road
Historic Summary
10.1 Burnt Oak represents a small hamlet historically on the western edge of the East
Bergholt Heath, at the eastern end of Rectory Hill which connects it to the village
centre. The curving route of Gandish Road is also discernible on the early Brasier
map of 1733 and was little altered at the point of enclosure (Figure 98).
10.2 A cluster of buildings towards the northern end of the road reflect early
development on the edge of the heath and remain ed the only buildings until the
20
th
century. The Town House was originally cottages but in 1654 was purchased by
the Parish Overseers to house the poor, though this is not necessarily overt in its
appearance this adds important historic interest and some communal value.

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10.3 Gandish Road did not see infill or additional housing added over the course of the
19
th
century which instead developed along the eastern route, White Horse Road,
now outside the conservation area.

Figure 98: (north to the right) Burnt Oak at the top, and the route of the Gandish Road as
depicted on the Brasier map of the heath, 1733. Quintons Triangle visible top right.
10.4 Gandish Road did however see development from the early 20
th
century and is the
location of a collection of buildings by the architect Raymond Erith. Erith moved to
nearby Dedham in 1936 and though he paused in architectural practice during the
second world war he returned very shortly after and continued to live and work in
the area even when his commissions took him further afield. He developed a
regular working relationship with a local firm of builders and joiners W T Wheelers
who had a workshop and timber yard north of Heath Road (still present and
occupied by Suffolk Sheds). They constructed the new doors and staircase for No.
10 downing Street when Erith was commissioned to design its reconstruction.
10.5 This sub area contains seven houses by Erith, six on Gandish Road and Kells around
the corner on Rectory Hill. He also designed the Constable Memorial Hall, within the
village recreation ground and playing fields. Elsewhere in the village he designed
Pound House in the village centre, and provided internal alterations at High Trees
House at Quintons Triangle as well as on houses in other nearby villages, certainly
Dedham. Other houses where he worked may come to light over the course of time
but this collection remains an important contribution to the early 20
th
century
historic, associative, and architectural values of the conservation area.

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Summary of special interest
10.6 An early road layout which reflects the edge of East Bergholt Heath and continues
to illustrate this historic landscape feature’s influence on later development.
10.7 Burnt Oak features a series of historic buildings dating back to the 16
th
and 17
th

centuries at least. Important in their own right where listed, and providing legible
architectural clues to the early origins of this area.
10.8 Important architectural value derived from association with architect Raymond Erith
and an important group of buildings designed by him including seven houses and
the village hall. There are contextual links between these houses and the village
hall and other buildings in East Bergholt and the wider area where he lived and
worked as well as with internationally well know buildings such as No. 10 downing
Street, for which he was the architect.

Figure 99: Constable Memorial hall, 1955 by Raymond Erith
Street and plot patterns
10.9 Burnt Oak is the name for a crossroads junction now forming the entry into the
conservation area from the east. The cluster of historic buildings at the junction and
just along Rectory Hill and Flatford Lane is in noted contrast to the modern housing
to the east. Buildings in the conservation area west of the crossroads cluster close

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together in compact plots with several of the older houses and former shops rising
direct from the pavement edge.
10.10 Gandish Road is a long curving road reflecting the historic edge of the Heath. For
much of its length housing is only present to the west, with a fully rural character of
grassy verge and hedgerow on the east. Houses sit well back behind verdant hedge
and tree boundaries, all with individual driveways.
Boundaries
10.11 Domestic boundaries around the cross roads are a mix of hedges and timber fences
in varying styles, all modern, with several historic buildings close to the crossroads
directly backing the pavement. There is a notable sense of closer knit and denser
built form here which rapidly transitions to rural greenery along Rectory Hill and
down Flatford Lane.
10.12 Gandish road swiftly develops a more spacious character after leaving the
crossroads where hedges become the predominant boundary which in combination
with well set back houses and mature trees along the street given a very verdant
quality. Short sections of low wall or fence are seen alongside gate piers but solid
brick walls are not a characteristic.
Building types and uses
10.13 Mainly domestic houses with much of Gandish Road being 20
th
century in nature.
Oranges and Lemons café occupies a former public house ‘The Kings Head’ and this
previous use is still understandable in its character and substantial car parking
area.
10.14 The Village Hall and playing fields provide communal and leisure functions. They
are served by good car parking provision.
10.15 Farming use is still suggested in the historic buildings at the eastern end of Gandish
Road with Mill Farm.

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Building scale and massing
10.16 Two storeys the maximum at Burnt Oak crossroads , with smaller storey heights
typical of historic buildings and tighter spacing giving an impression of more
intimate development.
10.17 On Gandish Road generally two storeys with limited attic accommodation indicated
through dormer windows. Relatively well sized houses but all within reasonable
gardens and set well back from the road creating sense of general spaciousness.

Figure 100: View from within the car parking to the memorial hall back to three of the Erith
houses, two storeys, set back behind mature hedges, well spaced.
10.18 Village hall, Constable Hall represents a larger footprint signalling its community
use alongside its location with the playing fields but is still a modest sized building.
Later additions to this area are on lower smaller scale and very diminutive.
Materials and details
10.19 Rendered facades, or painted brick is prevalent, with brick being the principal
underlying material and clear at chimneys. Claycott’s represents the most overtly
timber framed building but it is largely rendered with some sense of textured
panels so that this construction type is not overt.

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10.20 Gandish Road buildings utilise frequent brick but are very mixed, in keeping with
individual plot development over the course of the 20
th
century. There is a relatively
consistent building line and good accommodation for cars parked on property,
though some still present along the route.
10.21 Horizontal sliding sashes are a notable feature at Burnt Oak, present on both 1-3
Gandish Road and ‘the Townhouse’ a multi- phase building forming the corner
between Rectory Hill and Flatford Lane.

Figure 101: Horizontal sliding sashes on The Town house.
10.22 The overhanging first floor and arched features between Oak Cottage and The
Haywain and recessed arch detail and round windows on Kells (date stone on front
1832) are unique individual features adding visual interest and character.

Figure 102: oversailing first floors on closely spaced historic buildings giving access between
them.
Public realm, open spaces and trees/green landscape
10.23 The village hall and associated playing fields and sports pitches are the most
substantial area of public realm and an important community resource.
10.24 Mature trees present on Gandish Road are important to this area’s verdant quality
and screening of houses contributing to sense of spaciousness.
10.25 Trees on Rectory Hill and Flatford Land serve to enclose the settlement at the
crossroads and there is marked contrast on leaving Burnt Oak and moving down
along Rectory Hill as well as in the opposite direction.
Key views
10.26 Entry into the conservation area from White Horse Road, looking towards Burnt Oak
historic buildings at the crossroads, clear ability to appreciate arrival at historic
focus of settlement.
10.27 Long views along Gandish road in both directions. Spacious verdant character,
buildings set well back and mature trees.

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10.28 View on leaving this area towards Rectory Hill, contrast between relatively closely
developed hamlet and verdant greenery of the adjacent area, dramatic contrast and
sense of enclosure.

Figure 103: Entry into the conservation area from White Horse Road. Historic buildings flank
the approach
Audit of Heritage assets
10.29 This area contains nine listed buildings, of which only Claycotts is designated at a
higher grade II*.

Figure 104: Claycotts, Grade II*, with dovecote to the left (Image: EBS)

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10.30 The group by Raymond Erith including the Village Hall and several houses are all of
historic, architectural and local interest with associative interest to the architect and
contextual links to other buildings he worked on in this area.Houses by Erith in this
area are
• Kells, 1939 for Mr Stow. Erith was highly amused some years later to hear
this house described as a ‘fine example of early 19
th
century architecture’.

Figure 105: The distinctive ‘Kells’ on Rectory Hill
• Box house, the southern most house on Gandish road, 1950 for Mr and Mrs
Garnham.
• Newlands, The Red house, Greyling and Fairacre, a consecutive group of four
opposite the Memorial Hall, constructed between 1955- 57.
• White Lodge, slightly further north but of the same era, 1995-7.
• Constable Memorial Hall, 1957- 59.

Figure 106: ‘Fairacre’ by Raymond Erith 1952-7.
Issues and opportunities
10.31 Parking on streets can be quite visually prominent on Gandish Road somewhat
diminishing its rural character, particularly at the southern end though the number
of cars varied considerably over the several visits by the author so is not
necessarily a constant feature.
10.32 Comparatively standard collection of street furniture, standard lap board fencing,
utility boxes and markers in combination with telegraph poles and prominent
overhead wires at the Burnt Oak crossroads presents a somewhat cluttered
appearance at this entrance to the conservation area.

Figure 107: Sub character Area: Flatford Mill
Historic Summary
11.1 Flatford appears to have been an ancient centre of settlement possibly right back to
the Saxon period. Though not confirmed, the presence of a possible early church is
reflected in long standing field names and the historic location of a parsonage close
to the top of Tunnel Lane prior to the early 18
th
century. In 1536 there are records
of a fulling mill at Flatford, for the processing of cloth and the moated site suggests
early medieval defensible dwelling, it is recorded on the HER under ref: MSF5050.
11.2 In 1705 an act of Parliament made the Stour a navigable river, and 13 locks were
installed down stream of Flatford, which represents the lowest crossing point not
affected by tides. These locks allowed horse drawn barges, known as lighters, to

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travel up and down the river to ports at Mistl ey where goods were transferred to
Thames barges for transport on to London and elsewhere. The locks allowed a
steady increase in prosperity for those in East Bergholt, not least the Constable
family who acquired the Flatford Mill property in 1742. By this time the milling was
for corn rather than fulling reflecting the decline in the wool trade.
11.3 The decline in the river for navigation occurred in the mid 19
th
century with the
arrival of the railway. The Stour had never seen the creation of formal towpaths,
because of land owner objections and the complexity of sorting out rights of way,
which meant horses pulling the lighters had to cross multiple times subject to
individual arrangements with local landowners.
11.4 By the early 20
th
century Flatford Mill and many of the other buildings were at a
point near dereliction. The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB)
were consulted, but restoration of the properties was not undertaken because of
associated costs. Thomas Parkington, an Ipswich builder and philanthropist heard
about the site and after a visit with his wife promptly bought the Flatford estate and
began undertaking repairs in line with SPABs guidance.
11.5 When Parkington died, despite his intention to pass the estate to the National Trust,
financial constraints meant that the National Trust initially had to purchase the site,
later being paid back by the estate of Thomas Parkington, honouring his original
intention to bequeath the site to the nation. A stone memorialising Parkington’s
involvement in the saving of the Flatford Mill buildings was discovered in a field in
2021, proposals are underway to see it formally reinstated within the site.

Figure 108: the Parkington Stone, now on display close to the activity barn at Flatford
11.6 The National Trust lease many of the buildings out to the Field Studies Council,
opening this landscape and environment to school groups and visitors.
Summary of special interest
11.7 An ancient settlement represented by archaeological remains and a well preserved
selection of early buildings. Remnants of pre-enclosure land parcels are also
identifiable. Glebe Field is the possible location of a Saxon church, there is a
moated site south east of the current buildings though no permitted paths currently
give access.
11.8 As the lowest crossing point on the River Stour it was important historically both as
a power source and also as a transport link. The presence of the mill and locks
speak directly to this history.
11.9 Flatford Mill, together with the buildings and riverine structures (locks, dry docks,
bridges) is nationally important and often referred to as ‘quintessentially English’.
Much of this is encapsulated within, and to a degree created by, the internationally
renowned and much loved paintings by John Constable.

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11.10 Many of Constables most famous works use the buildings and landscape around
Flatford as their subject, the limited degree of change in the area preserves a high
sense of historic continuity. The east Bergholt Society identify Flatford as the focus
for 39 works by Constable, with further locations along the river. Many of these
paintings are world renowned, and they include several from the series known as
‘six footers’ – referencing their size – all of which explore the landscape of the
Stour River. Lucian Freud declared the Leaping Horse to be ‘the greatest painting in
the world’. The textural brushwork, the huge scale, the sense of light, movement
and combination of water and skies, all render this collection of works exceptionally
important, and opportunities to visit the sites that inspired them, unique and
significance both artistically and historically.

Figure 109: The Leaping Horse
11.11 The Constable family shaped much of the character of the main mill buildings in the
later 18
th
century, this reinforces the historic values and provides important
contextual links to other properties and areas within the wider conservation area.
Street and plot patterns
11.12 The area is accessed down a narrow hollow way, Tunnel Lane, leading off the
lowest point of Flatford Lane. These routes have not changed for centuries and

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retain a high degree of historic authenticity, particularly with their high banks and
tree cover.
11.13 There is no formal or defined ‘plot pattern’, the collection of historic buildings has
evolved over time to serve the river and its functionality, and to provide
accommodation for the farms in this area. Buildings are irregularly grouped. Willy
Lots cottage, Valley Farmhouse and Bridge Cottage provide differing scales of
accommodation each with some sense of domestic curtilage. The relationship
between the buildings and the river remains of critical importance.

Figure 110: Flatford Mill and cottage from across the pond .
11.14 At the western edge of this sub area a series of more modern houses has been
constructed off the lane running on the western side of the National Trust Car park.
They are very well screened and visually unobtrusive so their more standard forms
and materials do not overtly detract from the area.
Boundaries
11.15 The boundaries within the area are mainly hedges reflecting the rural character.
The historic buildings do not generally fall within individual plots contributing to

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their interconnected historic nature and shared functions, though there is some
sense of domestic curtilage, again defined by hedges, at Valley Farmhouse and to a
small area around Willy Lots Cottage.
11.16 The modern dwellings are within individual plots, with car parking and individual
drives, they are generally well screened from the wider landscape by mature tall
hedges and trees.
Building types and uses
11.17 Flatford comprises a close group of historic buildings covering industrial milling
purposes, agricultural uses and domestic traditions. Alongside the buildings there
are also the important Flatford Locks, which illustrate the history of the River as a
navigable transport link, bridges reflecting long term connection across the banks,
and a dry dock, recently reconstructed, illustrating boat building and repair
functions.
11.18 Modern structures have also been added to facilitate public access to the group and
include ticket and information kiosks, public toilets, a café and shop.
11.19 A small collection of more recent houses are present accessed from the lane. They
are, in general, very screened by boundary hedges and planting and are recessive
features. Haybarn replaced an historic building shown on maps but is now fully
modern, again it is well screened by mature hedging so is visually unobtrusive.
Building scale and massing
11.20 Comparatively varied from the large mass of the mill building right down to the
very diminutive Bridge Cottage.
11.21 Buildings are two storeys or one and a half, but scales vary widely reflecting the
contrast between industrial, agricultural and domestic uses. The differing
alignments of buildings provide visual contrast and the roof forms are also relatively
varied adding visual interest.

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Materials and details
11.22 Valley Farmhouse represents an important and well preserved example of
traditional timber framing from the 14
th
century. Willy Lotts cottage is also timber
framed, but rendered though its early characteristics are recognisable in its
architectural forms and details.
11.23 The 18
th
century red brick construction of Flatform Mill and the adjacent Millers
house and cottage are striking buildings with close relationship to the river.
Perpendicular ranges include weather boarding as well and this material is seen on
some of the more recent additions into the site as well.
11.24 Thatch is featured at Bridge Cottage and on the restored barn range adjacent to the
Mill.

Figure 111: Thatch, weatherboarding and render at The Barn and Bridge Cottage
Public realm, open spaces and trees/green landscape
11.25 Much of the land at Flatford is under the stewardship of the National Trust and
public access is facilitated not only by the public footpaths but additional permitted
routes. Picnic benches around the café and shop close to the restored dry dock
enable moments to dwell and experience the buildings.
11.26 The large car park just off of Flatford lane enables considerable visitor numbers. It
is a relatively prominent feature but car parking spaces are divided by trees which

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soften the visual impact. Pedestrian routes from the car park have now shifted the
experience away from the hollow way of Tunnel Lane changing the way that the
historic collection of buildings is approached.
11.27 The open landscape is rural and focussed on the river with the rising landscape that
leads into the rolling valley slopes leading up to the hill. Permitted routes and public
rights of way give access to a wide portion of this land.
Key views
11.28 Key views are those represented and reproduced in John C onstable’s multiple
paintings and sketches around the mill, the lock and surrounding river bank, flood
meadows and fields. Opportunities to ‘recreate’ the famous vantage points of “The
Haywain”, or “View on the Stour” are well accessed. Views from the higher ground
south of Flatford Lane are accentuated by National Trust ‘view point’ feature – with
an invitation to share to a group social medial hashtag. Paths from the higher
ground directly north of Flatford gives glimpses of the landscape and the buildings
at Flatford at the valley base.
Audit of Heritage assets
11.29 The Flatford character area includes only five listed buildings but four of them are
included at grade I (Flatford Mill, Millers House and Cottage, Willy Lots Cottage and
Valley Farmhouse) and the final one, Bridge Cottage is grade II*. The high grades
of these buildings reflect the international significance and importance of this
group. The links and association with the Constable family, and Constable’s
paintings is reflected in the list descriptions of all of the listed buildings.
11.30 Unlisted structures around the river including the lock and various bridges as well
as the dry dock are all of historic interest, though many are modern restorations.
They contribute positively to the character and appearance of this area and allow
understanding of important historic features.

Figure 112- 113: Flatford Lock and Flatford Bridge, unlisted but important riverine structures
11.31 The moat is not publicly accessible, nor is it scheduled, but it remains an important
archaeological feature contributing to the earliest history of human activity in this
area.
Issues and opportunities
12.1 Visitor pressure in terms of traffic on the very rural Flatford Lane, including coaches
and busses which barely fit down the narrow lane, and potential ad hoc parking for
those who do not wish to use the National Trust or village car parks. There is a
substantial quantity of signs both upstanding and painted on the road around the
entry to the visitor carpark. While understandably necessary to prevent travel in
the wrong direction, or mistaken car movements the character at this point of the
lane becomes fa r more utilitarian.

Figure 114: A visitor coach passes the top of Fen Lane, filling Flatford Lane closely.
12.2 Visitor pressure around historic buildings and to historic riverbanks and other
structures. Alternative visitor pedestrian route from the car park to the river has
taken foot traffic away from the hollow lane, leaving it rather peripheral, though
there is no firm restriction to pedestrians using it.
12.3 There is some erosion of historic continuity with the landscape through the growth
of trees and hedges which change the sense of openness and continuity with
Constable views. In particular a series of paintings from the western bank of the
Stour looking back towards the Mill buildings are now obscured by tree growth. The
banks that formed the backdrop for the Haywain are also more enclosed and
overgrown than is depicted in the painting
12.4 The introduction of additional new structures, buildings, kiosks which although
constrained and supporting access, may cumulatively start to detract from the
historic group if additional structures are added.

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12. Issues and Opportunities
12.5 The condition and quality of the conservation area and its buildings are generally
good, there are very few areas that might be considered to detract from the
overarching sense of a well preserved historic settlement. The reason why the
various areas qualify for designation in part is because of that well preserved
condition and sense of historic integrity within the various sub—areas making up
the conservation area as a whole.
12.6 Whilst large areas of single phase later 20
th
century housing are excluded, smaller
groups and individual modern houses fall within the conservation area. While they
may not innately be of individual historic interest, they are not considered as
negative features or an ‘issue’ if they preserve and maintain characteristics such as
boundary or building lines, greenery or planting, spacing, general scale, materials
or uses. All settlements develop over time, that is part of what creates their
interest.
12.7 Opportunities for new individual house may come forward. Each case will require
careful consideration on its own merits and encouragement should be given to use
adopted design guides and management proposals for the conservation area to
achieve sensitive new developments, or adaptations to existing properties within
the conservation area.
12.8 Opportunities to enhance and maximise public knowledge of and accessibility to
information about East Bergholt and the unique connection to John Constable and
his work should be celebrated. Further opportunities to utilise the breadth of
knowledge held by the East Bergholt Society and possibly increasing opportunities
for technological connection (QR codes or further display boards) could be taken in
assisting with public intellectual access to that information.
Issues
12.9 New development pressure is a primary issue of concern where encroachment on
the conservation area and into its setting, particularly to the north outside of
historic core, adjacent to existing mass housing but outside the designated
landscapes places the character and appearance of the area at further risk.

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12.10 Individual property issues cannot be mandated but the incremental replacement of
traditional features (windows, doors) and materials on unlisted buildings within the
conservation area can present a risk to the slow erosion of character.

Figure 115: Slow erosion of character, cottage on the left has seen its historic windows
replaced in unsympathetic uPVC or plastic with ‘stuck on’ glazing bars, the cottage on the
right retains period timber windows.
12.11 Parking. Many houses have provision for parking, but there is a risk where houses
have more limited space or where households include multiple car ownership, that
front boundaries may be removed to provide increased on-property parking.
Parking along streets is already partly controlled through the presence of double
yellow lines and innately narrow routes but ad hoc parking is a potential issue.
12.12 The widespread use of double yellow lines or standardised signage presents its own
risk of suburbanising the character of streets and adding clutter.
12.13 There is potential conflict or issue between the pressing need to adapt our
traditional housing stock to address climate change and the need to retain period
character and features. Solar panels, double glazing, the addition of ASHP units,
external wall insulation all might alter the character of buildings and over time

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whole streets. All measures may be achievable if carefully considered but,
particularly on unlisted buildings there is a risk of uncontrolled visual intrusion and
loss of traditional character and aesthetic.
Areas of lower aesthetic quality
12.14 There are a few areas within the conservation area which might be considered as
less aesthetically high quality whether by the presence of non-descript surfaces,
fixtures or structures, or neglected condition. It is important to note that the
aesthetic qualities of some of these areas does not negate their contribution to the
activity and vibrancy of the working settlement and community, particularly where
they are associated with businesses.
• Former windmill site. Currently used for general storage. An important historic
site where its history is no longer reflected or legible.
• Junction between Heath Road and Quintons Road, small area of the former
heath, over grown and with limited maintenance and damaged railings.
Though providing a valuable green screen to some of the housing beyond, this
is a rather rough patch of greenery that might be better managed at this
important historic remnant of the heath. It should not become overly
manicured, but avoidance of bramble growth would keep its legibility as a
defined corner to this historically important triangle of land (Figure 79)

Figure 116: The corner at Quintons Road, damaged railings, signage, note also the blocked
windows of Chaplains Cottage on the right

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• Village Shop. A valuable community resource in the centre of the village but
the frontage is rather non-descript and the entrance is cluttered by a plethora
of bollards, bike rings, stored crates, a standard waste bin.

Figure 117 : Area outside the village shop
• Surroundings of the Carriers Arms, this listed public house sits in a sea of
standard tarmac. Whilst it enables the building to be seen quite clearly, and
provides invaluable parking for customers, it is a blank and comparatively
unwelcoming area which, when reviewing historic maps, has seen the
considerable erosion of historic boundaries (see Figure 81).
• Congregational Chapel. Without a use at present this building and its
surroundings have a sense of neglect, the property is becoming overgrown
and there is a risk that this focal but unlisted building will decline rapidly in
condition.
• Chaplains Cottage, Gasgoines. Listed building, derelict and boarded/bricked
up. A listed building apparently at some risk (see above Figure 116).

Listed Buildings
No. on
Map
Historic
England
List Entry
No.
Name Listing Text
Grade I
1 1033437 MILLERS HOUSE AND COTTAGE Millers house and cottage, now Field Studies Centre.
C17 origins, altered C18 and later. Possibly timber-
framed, cased in red brick, mainly in Flemish bond
but central section in English bond. Plain tiles. 2
storeys and attic. West front: Millers house to left,
cottage to right. Millers house of 3 bays, the 3rd bay
being in English bond. 2 cross casements under
segmental gauged arches, French windows to right.
First floor band. Iron tie ends. Cross casements
above. Wooden eaves cornice. Hipped dormers with
C20 windows. Ridge stack, further stack to ridge
right contains brick dated 1619 but this stack has
been rebuilt since painting by John Constable of
1812 showing stack in alternative position. Cottage:
central staircase projection under pent roof contains
door. Casement window under segmental arch to
left. First floor band. Iron tie ends. Stepped and
dentilled eaves. Small flat -roofed dormer. End ridge
stack. East front: Millers House has 2- storey
staircase extension in angle with mill of late C18 –
early C19 date with a wooden doorcase of Gibbs
surround with fanned keyblock and pediment. 12-
pane sash in flush architrave under flat gauged brick
arch and C20 cross casement under segmental arch.
Plinth to part. 4-course first floor band. C20 window
above. Wood eaves cornice. Cottage has plank door
under segmental arch and wide cambered arch to
left, partly blocked, containing later window. C20
window above. Stepped and dentilled eaves.

Interior of house: staircase hall with cut-string stair
with carved tread ends, stick balusters, slender
column newels and ramped handrail. Domed light
above. Early C19 fireplaces. One transverse beam
with run-out chamfer stops. Flatford Mill came into
the possession of the Constable family in the mid
C18. This house m ay have been the birthplace of
John Constable as records appear to show that the
family house in the village centre was not built until
1779 (Jennings). The latter was sold after the death
of Golding Constable, father of John, in the early
C19 and Abram and Mary, John’s brother and sister,
returned to this house. The Grade I status reflects
its significance in the life and work of John
Constable. Leased by the National Trust to the Field
Studies Council.
2 1033438 WILLY LOTTS COTTAGE

Farmhouse, now accommodation for Field Studies
Centre. Late C16-C17. Timber-framed, rendered.
Plain tile roof. Red brick stacks and brick plinth.
Single- storey and attic range of 2 bays with 2-
storey, 2- bay cross wing to left and single-storey
cross wing to right. To centre range a plank door in
ovolo and hollow-chamfered surround. Cross
casement with leaded lights to left. Cross casements
to ground and first floor of cross wing and a further
similar window to left return of single storey range
which has a 3- light diamond mullion window to
gable end. Further cross casements and plank door
to rear. Stack between centre range and 2- storey
range, further stack to right gable end of centre
range. Interior: centre range has red brick inglenook
with chamfered bressummer with bar stop.
Chamfered spine beam with lamb’s tongue stop and
exposed joists. Room to right has deep chamfered
beam and roll-moulded spine beam and exposed

rear
joists. Further red brick inglenook with chamfered
bressummer, 2-storey range has moulded beam and
exposed joists. Closed-string newel stair with onion
pendant. First floor shows jowled posts. Grade I
listing reflects the importance of this building as part
of the Flatford Mill group and its significance in the
work of the artist John Constable. Leased by the
National Trust to the Field Studies Council.

3 1033473 VALLEY FARMHOUSE

House. Late C15 open hall with cross wing
incorporating C14 features. Rear range probably
C17. Small later addition to left. Renovated and
restored to original form C20. Timber-framed. Plain
tile roof. Red brick stacks. Open hall with 2- storey,
2-bay jettied cross wing to left and through passage
and 2- storey service wing to right. Close studding
with middle rail. Plank door under chamfered Tudor
arch. 6- light diamond mullion hall window. Small 2-
light mullion window to left of entrance. 4-light
mullion window to service range. 3-light cross
casements with leaded lights to cross wing with
jettied gable end and tension braces to first floor.
Pent roof to upper window. Roof hipped at right.
Ridge stack to left of entrance and further stack to
left return of cross wing. Further diamond mullion
windows and plank door under chamfered Tudor
arch to rear. Rear range heightened and altered,

underbuilt in brick. Interior: framing exposed. Open
hall has pair of chamfered posts with arch braces to
chamfered cambered tie- beam supporting octagonal
crown post with moulded base and capital, braced to
purlin and collar. Down braces to end walls. Shutter
groove to hall window. Through passage to right
with paired doorways to service range with plank
doors under Tudor arches. Original stairs to service
range along rear wall. Inglenook fireplace with
cambered moulded bressumer containing moulded
brick arched recess at left, massive stepped stack.
To first floor of service range to hall side a blocked
elliptical-arched moulded brick fireplace. Jettied
range: exposed framing including wall plate showing
edge- halved scarf joint. Blocked diamond mullion
window. To centre, pair of posts with arch braces to
cambered tie beam which supports a short octagonal
crown post with capital of 3 convex mouldings of
probable mid C14 date. (Attic floor inserted). C14
roof structure in combination with later features in
walling suggests a probable C15 reconstruction of
this wing. Grade I status reflects the historic interest
of the building and its extra significance as part of
the Flatford Mill group. Leased by the National Trust
to The Field Studies Council and used as the
Warden’s House.
4 1193803 CHURCH OF ST MARY Church. Chancel C14 with C15 alterations. North and
south chapels mid C15 with later alterations. South
aisle later C15, incorporating C14 south door. 1525
date- stone on tower. North aisle, clerestory and
nave arcades c1530s – 40s. Restoration 1850s – 60s.
Further alterations and additions of early C20 by T G
Jackson. Perpendicular style. Tower of brick and flint
faced with knapped flint. North aisle mainly brick
with some septaria and roughly-dressed stone.

South aisle brick and snapped flint. Later stucco to
aisles, now removed. Ashlar clerestory. South porch
and chancel rendered above plinth. Ashlar dressings
throughout. Plain tile roofs. West tower with passage
through, 5-bay aisled nave, south porch with
parvise, 2- bay chancel with single-bay chapels to
north and south. Tower: incomplete, raised only to
single stage. 5- sided angle turrets, ashlar plinth with
encircled quatrefoils containing shields. Much
weathered flushwork above. Wide north and south
arches to passage. 2-centred moulded arches on
inner responds with continuously moulded jambs
under square label containing encircled quatrefoil
with shields and mouchettes to spandrels. Date
plaque above south arch now illegible. Passageway
retains vault shafts. West doors have linenfold
panelling and enriched central baluster. West front
has C20 paired traceried windows and is surmounted
by C18 octagonal bellcote. South aisle: plinth, flush-
work band, flushwork buttresses with niches and
truncated pinnacles. Tudor- arched 3- light
Perpendicular windows. Battlements throughout
enriched with carved shields. South porch of 2
storeys with domed stair turret to west. Flushwork
plinth and diagonal buttresses with niches. Pointed
arch, the inner order on responds, with continuously
moulded jambs enriched with shields. Hoodmould
surmounted by square label with encircled
quatrefoils and mouchettes in the spandrels. Single-
light window to parvise under square label. Parapet.
North aisle: plinth, flushwork offset buttresses with
brattishing. Large 4-light windows with
Perpendicular tracery. Polygonal 3- stage stair turret
to east surmounted by finial, with the mullet device
of the De Veres, Lords of the village manor of Old

Hall from 1425. North door: linenfold panelling with
central baluster in continuously moulded surround
enriched with niches and shields. Square moulded
surround with outer colonettes and decorated
spandrels. Clerestory his 3 -light segmental-pointed
windows with Perpendicular tracery. Chancel and
Chapels have 3-light windows with Perpendicular
tracery. Diagonal buttresses to chancel and 5-light
east window. Embattled parapets. Interior: nave
arcade of 2- centred arches on piers of section four
shafts and four hollows with moulded capitals to
shafts. Pointed chancel arch on triple responds.
Original roofs to south aisle and chancel. Nave roof
of 1854. Angle corbels to south chapel, reroofed
1866. Easter Sepulchre with C15 wall painting. Wall
monuments to William Jonar 1636, and to Edward
Lambe d.1617 with niche containing kneeling figure
flanked by angels and surmounted by entablature
with hatchment and obelisks. Early C18 marble
chest tombs to Chaplin and Parker families in south
chapel. Memorials to Maria Constable, Wife of John
Constable, and her grandfather Dr Rhudde.
Pevsner N, Suffolk 2nd Ed 1974 pp 195-196
Paterson T F, East Bergholt in Suffolk, 1923 pp 52-
90.
Riches A, Victorian Church Building and Restoration
in Suffolk 1982 p 366.
Elam J F, St Mary’s Church East Bergholt 1986.
5 1351931 FLATFORD MILL Watermill, now Field Studies Centre. 1733
datestone, incorporating possibly earlier but altered
former granary range to rear and further C19 range
adjoining granary. Later alterations. Red brick in
Flemish bond with weatherboarded lucam and
granary range. Plain tile roofs. Main range 2 storeys
and attic. South front: 4 first floor windows, central

gable to attic. Door to right with overlight in tall
opening which breaks the first floor band. 24-pane
segment-arched sash to right. Low plank door to
centre. 4 round- arched windows, 2 with iron glazing
bars with radial glazing to heads and two C20
wooden replicas of these. Small 2-light windows to
first floor. First floor band of 3 courses, similar to
gable. Lucam to right gable end. Rear: two blocked
wheel arches. Door under segmental arch
surmounted by datestone. 4-course first floor band.
Pitching door above and 2 small windows under
segmental arches. Stepped eaves. Attic gable glazed
early C20. Wheel arrangement altered C19, wheel
house added to right. No wheels left in situ. Range
attached to rear left, former granary now
incorporated into accommodation. Single storey and
attic. Extension under pent roof to mill pond side,
C20 casements. Gabled dormers to mansard roof.
Further brick range at lower level with gabled
dormer to mill pond side. Interior of granary range
shows timber-framing with some chamfered jowled
posts, studded walls, massive beams of apparently
inserted ceiling. The mill was in the possession of
the Constable family from the mid C18. Its Grade I
status reflects its significance in the life and work of
John Constable. Leased by the National Trust to the
Field Studies Council.
GRADE II*
6 1033451 BELLCAGE TO NORTH SIDE OF CHURCHYARD Bellhouse. Probably late C16. Timber-framed on red
brick plinth. Plain tile roof. Rectangular on plan.
Plank and muntin lower wall with open lattice work
above. Door to left with long strap hinges.
Overhanging steeply-pitched hipped gableted roof.
Interior contains bell frame with five bells, one dated

1450. Some wall posts jowled. Posts to centre of
each wall with knees support tie beams. Roof of
lower level of butt purlins with clasped purlins
above. Built to house the bells after the erection of
the west tower of St Mary’s Church (qv) was
abandoned. Said to have been resited from the east
side of the church in C18 at the request of Joseph
Chaplin of Old Hall (qv).
Paterson T F, East Bergholt in Suffolk 1923 pp 90-
95.
Pevsner N, Suffolk 2nd ed 1974 p 196.

7 1033454 CHURCHGATE HOUSE House, probable former religious guild hall. c1500,
later additions to rear and later remodelling
including late C18 – early C19 refronting. C20 single-

storey addition to right of no special interest.
Timber- framed on brick plinth with brick front and
right gable wall. Roughcast. Plain tile roof. Left bay
originally of 3 jettied storeys with probable lower
range to right. Now 2 storeys with single-storey
cross range to rear right and 2-storey cross wing to
rear left. Central 6-panel door in pilastered doorcase
with frieze and dentilled cornice, panelled reveals
and soffit. 12-pane sashes with thick glazing bars,
asymmetrically placed. Wedge lintels. First floor
band. Swept roof. Rear external stack to right with
probable former stair projection under pent roof to
right. 2 gabled wings have ridge stacks. Interior: 2
bays, with later staircase hall inserted into wider left
bay which was formerly jettied as indicated by
dragon beam. Fine ceiling with leaf-scroll moulded
beams and moulded joists. To gable wall a blocked
pair of 6-light ovolo and cavetto moulded mullion
windows flanking large central opening now blocked
with sash window. Brick inglenook with some
herringbone and stepped brickwork to rear wall
under mutilated chamfered bressummer. Projection
adjacent to inglenook may indicate position of
original newel stair. Staircase hall with early C1 9
stair with column newels, stick balusters and carved
tread ends. Section of C17 panelling with H hinges.
Studded partition wall to right has central chamfered
post with fine carving to jowl representing demi-
angel with shield bearing crown emblem. To rear of
partition wall a blocked Tudor-arched chamfered
doorway. Room to right shows reverse of this
doorway and has fine ceiling with leaf-scroll moulded
beam with leaf stops and moulded joists. Further
blocked Tudor-arched doorway to right gable end.
First floor: large chamfered jowled central post. Left

bay has studded walls and moulded beams and
joists. Dragon beam indicating further jettied storey
above, now removed. In the right bay adjacent to
the studded partition wall is a crown post braced
front and rear to tie beam and with further mortice
to outer face indicating probable lower range
adjoining 3-storey jettied left bay. Access to roof
above right bay not possible at time of resurvey.
Small section of hand painted plaster. Early C19
grates to both rooms. Undergoing renovation at time
of resurvey.
East Bergholt Society Looking at East Bergholt 1981
Text by J Elam.
8 1033472 BRIDGE COTTAGE

Cottage, now National Trust information centre and
shop. Probably late C16 with later alterations.
Timber- framed, rendered. Red brick stack. Thatched
roof. One storey and attic. 3½-bay frame with lower
addition to right. To left a board door and bow
window. Central fire window. Further board door and
casement to right. Gabled half dormer to right with
casement window forms a post C18 addition. Central
stack. Lower extension to right under hipped roof.
Rear: board door and 2-light window with horizontal
glazing bars and further board door to right with 2-
light casement adjoining. 2 gabled half dormers with
casement windows. Interior: chamfered spine beam
and cross beams with run-out stops. Jowled posts,
wall plates with some arch braces and wall studding
exposed. Collar rafter roof, clasped purlins to part.
II* grading reflects the importance of the cottage as
part of the Flatford Mill group and its significance in
the work of John Constable. Undergoing restoration
at time of resurvey.
9 1285872 THE GABLES House. Late C16 with probable early C16 rear wing
to hall range and later rear range to cross wing. C19

additions to rear. Renovated 1970s. Timber-framed,
part rendered. C19 sections in painted brick. Plain
tile roof. Red brick stacks. Two storeys, attic to front
range. Hall with jettied cross wing to left with
attached gabled ranges to rear. C19 extensions in
Tudor style. Front range: close studding. C20 Tudor-
arched entrance under hood adjacent to cross wing.
C20 mullion and transom windows with mullioned
side lights, largely in original openings throughout.
C20 moulded bressummer to first floor. Cross wing
has C20 oriel window with mullioned side lights.
Jettied first floor with moulded bressummer. Similar
first floor window and 5- light mullion window to
jettied gable with moulded bressummer, C19
bargeboards and finial. Swept roof. Paired octagonal
ridge stacks to rear. Left return underbuilt in painted
brick. Range to rear of hall slightly lower. Close
studding. Restored mullion windows. Large ridge
stack adjacent to front range with 6 octagonal
shafts. Range to rear of cross wing rendered with
large C20 stair window. Interior: front range,
moulded beams and exposed joists. Chamfered brick
Tudor-arched fireplace to hall flanked by Tudor-
arched doorwlays
to rear wing. Further chamfered basket-arched
fireplace to cross wing. Rear wing: inglenook with
chamfered bressummer. Studded walls, moulded
beams and joists. Probably inserted C17 panelling.
5-light ovolo mullion window to original rear wall
now backing onto stair hall. Stair hall range:
studded rear wall of cross wing with C20 painted
decoration exposed in stair hall. C20 staircase. First
floor: chamfered beams and exposed joists.
Fireplace with painted basket arch with ovolo
moulding in chamfered square surround with

stepped stops. Similar fireplace to rear wall of cross
wing which has probably inserted C17 panelling with
cornice and some strapwork panels. Rear range has
C20 replica crown post roof. Clasped purlin roof with
wind braces to front range. Several moulded and
studded plank doors. Small chamfered basket-
arched fireplace to attic of cross wing. Extensively
renovated and restored 1970s, the house contains
several other imported features.
10 1286124 THE LODGE House. Core 1505 (owner’s date), remodelled C18
and enlarged and further remodelled early C20.
Alterations to exterior of C20 in Tudor style. Timber-
framed, part cased in brick. Rendered. Ashlar porch
and detailing. Plain tile roof. Red brick stacks. Two
storeys, 9 irregular bays, section to right of porch
forms early C20 addition. Off-centre 2-storey gabled
porch with off- set angle buttresses surmounted by
pinnacles. 4-centred entrance arch beneath oriel
window. Parapet and pinnacle to gable. To left, 3
sashes with glazing bars in architraves with
hoodmoulds to each floor and staircase oriel. To
right a square pilastered bay with mullion and
transom window and similar sashes, 4 to first floor.
Parapet with band. Hipped double- span roof with flat
dormers. Grouped octagonal corniced stacks in C16
style. Interior remodelled early C20. Entrance hall
with C17 style panelling, chimneypiece and
staircase. Some .016 moulded joists. First floor
ceiling of hall 3 bays of C16 moulded beams and
joists incorporated into later scheme. Room to rear
of stair hall shows moulded joists. Other ground
floor rooms remodelled in C18 style. Photograph in
owner’s possession shows house previous to C20
enlargement as remodelled C18 with 5 symmetrical
bays.

11 1286166 CHAPLINS

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list- entry/1286166

House. Early C16 with later alterations and
additions. Timber-framed with attached range to
right rendered at front, weatherboarded to rear.
Rear extensions rendered. Plain tile roofs. Red brick
stacks. Originally open hall with jettied 2-storey
cross wing to right, through passage to left but
former service wing to left no longer extant. Single-
storey range to right and 2-storey gabled addition to
rear. 2- bay hall and 2-bay cross wing. Close
studding with middle rail. Plank door to left with long
strap hinges in Tudor-arched entrance. 6- light
diamond mullion hall window with oriel of probable
C19 date inserted below. Gabled dormer above.
Inserted stack to right of entrance. Cross wing:
cross casement with leaded lights. Brattished middle
rail below jetty. Cross casement oriel window above
flanked by original 6-light windows with ovolo
principal and diamond subsidiary mullions. Studding
and down braces to gable. Swept roof, ridge stack.
Interior: through passage contains paired Tudor-
arched, cavetto-moulded service doorways (now
blocked) with moulded spandrels. Jamb of original
rear entrance survives. Hall contains inglenook fire-
place with bressummer. Beam above inglenook with
merchant’s mark carved in relief. Wall posts to front
and rear have attached chamfered shafts
surmounted by short, half-octagonal posts with
moulded capitals. Deep beam with ovolo moulding
to outer face, plain stopped chamfer to other face.
Longitudinal beam with ovolo mouldings, moulded
joists. Two C18 corner cupboards with shaped
shelves. Cross wing: framing exposed including wall
posts with arch braces to chamfered beam. Studded
walls. Exposed joists. Remains of wall painting with
lattice-work in white containing fleur- de-lys motif on

red background. Further section with white paterae
on green background. Painted rail with frieze above
with black foliate design on white back-ground. First
floor: hall range, chamfered jowled posts with large
chamfered arch braces forming arch beneath
chamfered, cambered tie beam. Foot of crown post
visible, moulded base and cavetto-moulded post.
Crown post visible in roof space, moulded capital
and braces to collar purlin. Further unmoulded post
at junction with cross wing. Wall plate with edge-
halved scarf. Moulded plank door of probable C16
date adjacent to stack. Cross wing; posts to stop-
chamfered tie beam, mortices for missing arch-
braces. 2 crown posts in roof space, unmoulded with
braces to collar purlin.
12 1351932 CLAYCOTTS

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list- entry/1351932
House. Early C16, two builds, with further range of
c1600. Later alterations and additions including
dovecote range attached to south and C20 addition
of no special interest to west. Restoration of early
1980s. Timber-framed, rendered, part under-built in
painted brick, with red brick stacks and other
additions. Dovecote range weatherboarded. Plain tile
roofs. Two storeys, truncated former hall range with

slightly higher cross range to right, range of c1600
at right angles to cross wing. Dovecote range
adjoins former hall range to left. Entrance now by
C20 range. Former hall (now kitchen) and cross
wing: jettied, underbuilt in brick, carved posts and
capitals, that to left of cross wing gable end
particularly fine with ‘linenfold’ motif to post and
floral motifs to square capital and abacus and arch
brace. Foliate scroll to bressummer of cross wing,
moulded to hall range. C20 cross casement
windows, that to cross wing in angle with other
range replacing an entrance with C19 doorcase

(NMR). Rendering to first floor conceals close
studding and blocked 3-light mullion windows
(owner’s photographs). Close studding and collar to
cross- wing gable with bargeboards and finial. Swept
roofs. External stack to gable of range to left.
Adjoining dovecote range single-storey with 2- storey
central dovecote, original openings to rear and
doveholes and shelves to gable. In angle with later
range is brick projection under pent roof with 3-light
brick ovolo mullion window with hoodmould and
cogged cornice. Range of c1600: on plinth, jettied
gable end. To ground floor French windows flanked
by blocked 3-light ovolo mullion windows. C20 cross
casement to first floor. Close-studding to jettied
gable with bargeboards and finial. Swept roof. To
right return a large external off-set stack (upper
part rebuilt). Brick staircase projection under pent
roof. Interior: former hall and cross wing have
moulded ceiling beams to ground floor, blocked
mullion window to front wall of kitchen. Later range
has plastered brick basket-arched ovolo-moulded
fireplace and studded walls with down braces. Newel
spiral stair adjacent to stack somewhat remodelled.
First floor: framing exposed including chamfered
jowled posts with arch braces and moulded beams
and joists to earlier ranges. Close studding. Rafter
seatings in wall plate at right of former hall range
apparently indicate hipped roof predating erection of
cross wing. Roof rebuilt incorporating early timbers.
GRADE II
13 1033415 THE CHEMIST House, now shop. Early C19. Brick, colourwashed.
Slate roof. Two storeys, 3 bays with central
breakforward and angle pilasters. Central glazed
door in pilastered surround with pediment on

corbels. Large plate glass windows. Sashes with
glazing bars above with sills. End stacks. Interior not
inspected.

14 1033416 IVY COTTAGE AND COTTAGE ADJOINING TO RIGHT Pair of cottages, Ivy Cottage now hairdresser’s
salon. Late C18 – Early C19. Timber- framed,
rendered. Slate roof. Brick stacks. Two storeys, two
first floor windows to each cottage. Ivy Cottage:
central pilastered doorcase with mutule cornice
containing half-glazed door. Sashes with glazing
bars and margin lights. Cottage to right: half-glazed
central door in pilastered doorcase with cornice.
Sashes with glazing bars and margin lights. Round-
arched through passage to right. Overhanging roof
with corniced stacks. Interior not inspected.

15 1033417 CONSTABLES House. Mid C19. Red brick in Flemish bond. Slate
roof. Two storeys, two bays. Central 4- panel door
with overlight in architrave with cornice. 16-pane
sashes throughout with cambered gauged brick
arches to ground floor. Overhanging roof, corniced
end stacks. Included for group value. I nterior not
inspected.
16 1033418 COTTAGE TO NORTH OF THE RED LION Cottage. C18. Timber-framed, plain tile roof. Rebuilt
brick stack. Two storeys, three bays. Central lobby
entry. Thin- studded walls with middle rail, straight
posts and down braces. C20 door and cross
casements. Pointed 2-light casements above. Swept
hipped roof and central stack. Rendering described
on earlier list now removed. Interior not inspected.

17 1033419 CHAPEL HOUSE, POST OFFICE & OLD MANSE

Pair of houses and Post Office. Probable C17 core,
remodelled early C19. Timber-framed, cased in
white brick with plain tile roof and red brick stacks.
2-storey, 2-window centre range with gabled cross
wings to each side, that to left incorporated into Post
Office which is partly housed in single-storey
extension to left of no special interest. To main
range, 6-panel doors under radial fanlights with
round arches. 16- pane sashes in reveals with sills.
Cambered brick arches to ground floor and wings.
Steeply- pitched roof. Centre stack to main range
and ridge stacks to cross wings. Part undergoing
renovation at time of resurvey. Interior not
inspected.

18 1033420 WEST LODGE COTTAGES

Pair of cottages, now one dwelling. Late C18 – early
C19. Red brick in Flemish bond. Plain tile roof.

Single storey and attic, 2 bays. Paired central
entrances have 6- panel doors in panelled reveals
with architraves under flat gauged brick arches. C20
casements under flat gauged brick arches. Stepped
and dentilled eaves. Mansard roof. Two flat dormers
with C20 casements. End stacks. Interior not
inspected.
19 1033421 WEST LODGE STABLES

Coach-house and stables, now in commercial use.
C17 origin with C18 and later alterations and
additions. Red brick in English and Flemish bond.
Possible timber-framed core to part. Plain tile roof.
Two storeys. Originally L-shaped, gabled cross wing
to rear left now truncated. Front: brick in Flemish
bond. Mainly C20 inserted doors and windows. Roof
hipped at right. Right return is rendered with
casement windows with arched lights in similar style
to Stour Cottage (qv). Rear: somewhat rebuilt stack
to gable end cross wing. To centre, double plank
doors with long strap hinges under segmental
carriage arch. Plank stable door with long L-hinges
to right with pitching door above. Formed service
range to Stour House (qv). Undergoing renovation
at time of resurvey. Interior not inspected.

20 1033422 ORVIS CROFT House. Probably late C16. Timber-framed, rendered
in part. Plain tile roof. Red brick stacks. L-plan. Two
storeys, 4- bay frame with rear cross wing. Off-
centre C20 gabled timber porch. Casement to right.
C20 square bays to outer bays. Three casements
and one single-light window to first floor. Close-
studding, straight down braces. External stack to
right gable end. Off-centre ridge stack. Low
extension to right of no special interest. Interior not
inspected.
21 1033439 GANDISH HOUSE House. Probable C17 cross wing with former hall
range rebuilt early C19. Timber- framed cross wing,
rendered, otherwise painted brick. Plain tile roofs.
Rebuilt red brick stack. 2 storeys, 2-bay cross wing
to left. Projecting square entrance porch with
panelled door. C19 sashes with arched lights and
casements. Double span roof to right range with
ridge stack with 4 detached octagonal shafts.
Interior: cross range framing concealed. Chamfered

beam with bar stops. Clasped purlin roof. Early C19
interior features include fireplaces and grates,
staircase with ramped mahogany handrail, column
newels, stick balusters and carved tread ends.
Cornices. The home of Anne Constable (sister of the
artist John Constable) in the early C19, who is said
to have carried out alterations and extensions.
Was the subject of John Constable’s painting
“Gandish Cottage, Suffolk” where the cottage is
depicted in winter.
22 1033440 OLD MILL HOUSE

House. Probably C17 with early C19 and later
alterations and extensions. Timber-
framed, rough rendered, partly underbuilt in brick.
Plain tile roof, red brick stack. 2 storeys, 4- bay
frame. Central lobby entry. Projecting gabled porch
with plank door. 16 and 24-pane sashes in flush
wood architraves. French windows to left. Roof
hipped to left. Central ridge stack. Interior: framing
exposed. Chamfered jowled posts, section of close
studding.
23 1033441 STUARTS House. C16 – C17 with later alterations and
additions. Timber-framed, rendered in part, brick
extension to rear. Plain tile roof. Red brick stacks. 2
storeys. Off-centre lobby entry range with cross
wing to right. C20 door and casements. Close
studding above middle rail. Swept roof. Cross wing
has large C20 bow replacing a shop front and
casement window. External stack to right return.

C20 extension to rear. Interior not inspected.
Included for group value.
24 1033442 CHAPLAINS COTTAGE & GASCOIGNES

House, now two dwellings. Probably C17. Timber-
framed, rendered. Plain tile roof,
red brick stacks. L-shaped range with gabled range
in angle. 2 storeys. 4-bay frame to front range
which has extensive alterations to exterior. C20
porch and large bay to left, two casement windows.
Two casements, fixed light and top opening window
to first floor. Off-centre and end stacks. Large
external stack to range in angle. Interior: framing of
front range exposed including beams and joists and
studded walls to ground floor. To first floor, jowled
posts, chamfered cambered tie beams with arch
braces.
25 1033443 WISTERIA COTTAGE House. c1830. White brick, creamwashed. Slate
roof. 2 storeys 3 bays. Central half-glazed door in
doorcase with patterned jambs, frieze and hood.
Panelled reveals and soffit. Sashes with glazing bars
in reveals with sills under cambered wedge lintels.
First floor band. Sashes with glazing bars and similar
details above. Blocked central window. Overhanging
hipped roof and later red brick corniced end stacks.
Interior not inspected.
26 1033444 THE LAMBE SCHOOL School, now village hall. Founded 1594 by Edward
Lambe. Two builds, the earlier section to the right is
probably the original building although much
altered, with early C19 range to left. Restored
1970s. Early section: timber-framed, front and right
gable cased in red brick in Flemish bond, rear

© Google Earth
weatherboarded. Slate to front roof pitch, plain tiles
to rear. One storey, 2 bays of frame. Sashes with
glazing bars in reveals. Present entrance through
later range. Roof gableted to left. External stack to
right. 4-light restored diamond mullion window to
rear. Later range: white brick, slate roof. C20
weatherboarded extension to rear. One storey. Four
16-pane sashes in reveals with sills under shallow
pedimented lintels. Angle pilasters. Original entrance
to left gable end. Present entrance by rear
extension. Later linking wall to older range. Interior
of early section: exposed framing consisting of
ground rail on plinth, studded walls and jowled posts
with mortices for arch braces. Replaced tie beams.
Rebuilt inglenook with chamfered timber
bressummer. Studded wall above contains blocked
restored 3-light diamond mullion
window. The school was originally endowed by
Mistress Lettice Dykes in 1589, the foundation by
Edward Lambe (Lord of the village manor of Illaries)
is recorded by a deed of Sept 25th 1594.
Patterson T F, East Bergholt in Suffolk, 1923 pp 96-
113.
27 1033445 FUSCHIA COTTAGE Cottage. Probably C17 with later alterations. Timber-
framed, cased in painted brick. Plain tile roof.

Rebuilt red brick stack. Single storey and attic.
Gable
end to street. Central lobby-entry. C19 half- glazed
door in reveal with architrave flanked by 16- pane
sashes in flush architraves. Further C20 window to
right. Swept roof, ridge stack. 2 small- paned
casements and band to gable end. Interior not
inspected but some framing, beamed ceiling and
inglenook visible.
28 1033446 ACKWORTH HOUSE House. c1840. White brick. Slate roof. 2 storeys, 3
bays with low service wing to right. Plinth. Projecting
paired pilasters supporting pediment to central bay.
Angle pilasters. Central entrance. 6-panel door with
jamb lights under radial fanlight. Sashes with
glazing bars in reveals with cornices. First floor
band. Similar windows above. Cornice. Hipped roof
with corniced stacks. Full-height bow to left return
with pilasters and sashes with glazing bars. Interior
not inspected.
29 1033447 THE HARE AND HOUNDS Public House. C16 with later alterations and
additions. Timber-framed, rendered, part underbuilt
and part cased in painted brick. Plain tile roof.
Single- storey and attic with gabled cross wing to
right and later a dditions to right and rear. Range to
left: cased in brick, 4-panel door to left. Tripartite
sash with glazing bars to right. C20 canted bay to

left gable end. Cross wing underbuilt in brick. Half-
glazed door with C20 casement to right. 8-pane sash
above. Range to right projects and under a catslide
roof. Interior: left range has fine plaster ceiling
divided into 4 panels by ovolo-moulded beam and
longitudinal beam with run-out stop. 3 of the panels
have scrollwork borders with mythological beasts
and a central square boss flanked by large fleur-de-
lys and Tudor roses. The panel adjacent to the
present entrance from the cross wing contains 4
parallel strips of scroll decoration. Ground floor of
cross wing has large chamfered beams with run -out
stops. Inglenook fireplace with bressummer. Original
rear wall studded and contains Tudor-arched
doorway. To first floor some framing visible including
chamfered jowled post, chamfered tie beam and
studded walls.
30 1033448 PARK HOUSE House. Probably C17, remodelled early C19. Timber-
framed on brick plinth, rendered. Plain tile roof, red
brick stacks. L-plan. 2 storeys, 3 first floor windows.
Central lobby-entry. C19 panelled double doors in
pilastered doorcase with lions head capitals and
cornice. 16-pane sashes. Hipped roof, central ridge
stack. Addition to left under pent roof. Further
external stack to rear of cross wing. Interior not
inspected.
31 1033449 THE HERMITAGE House. Probably C16 with C17 and later additions
and alterations. Timber-framed, rendered and partly
cased in painted brick. Plain tile roof. Red brick
stacks (mainly rebuilt). Central 1½-storey, lobby-
entry range with 2-storey cross wings. Further 2-
storeys gabled wing to left. 6-panel door under
gabled porch. Tripartite sashes with arched upper
panes. 2 gabled dormers with unequal sashes and
barge- boards. C19 stack. Cross wing to right

underbuilt in brick, sash window with glazing bars
under cambered arch. Stepped first floor band.
Unequal sash with glazing bars above. Bargeboards
to gable. To right return, sashes with glazing bars,
stack to rear. Left cross wing underbuilt in brick,
similar sashes to right wing. External stack to left of
gable end. Stepped first floor band. Jettied gable.
Studding and bargeboards to gable. Gabled wing at
left at higher level
has 2- storey bay. Interior not inspected.
32 1033450 HIGH TREES FARMHOUSE

House. Open-hall house of c1500 remodelled C18,
later alterations and additions including some
interior remodelling of 1932 by Raymond Erith.
Timber- framed, front cased in red brick in Flemish
bond, rear underbuilt in brick and rendered above,
gable ends rebuilt in brick. Red brick stacks. Plain
tile roof. 2 storeys and attic, 5-bay frame. Original
central open hall, floored over C16. 7 irregular
window bays. Off-centre half-glazed door in C20
timber porch. Sash windows with glazing bars in
flush wood architraves under flat gauged brick
arches. One inserted
window with Gothick glazing to right. Steeply-
pitched roof. End and off-centre ridge stacks. Rear:
C20 extensions of no special interest. Two C19
sashes with glazing bars and C20 casements. Two
gabled dormers with casements. Interior: entrance
hall has moulded ceiling beams and joists. Section of
moulded and brattished dais beam exposed to right.

Remodelled by Erith in C18 style with panelling and
staircase. Plaster cornices to ground floor rooms.
Further stair to rear of stack. Framing exposed in
part to first floor including wall plate, jowled post
with hollow chamfer with mortice for arch brace to
hollow- chamfered cambered tie beam. To attic: hall
crown post to 4th bay – octagonal post on base with
moulded capital, braced to purlin and collar.
Somewhat damaged due to later partition wall (now
removed). Studded partition to left incorporating
unmoulded crown post, beyond this wall the collar
purlin is truncated. Unmoulded crown posts to
remaining bays to right.
33 1033452 TOMB TO JOHN LEWIS IN CHURCHYARD OF ST MARY Tomb chest. Late C18. Commemorates John Lewis
(d 1777). Red brick with ashlar slab. Rectangular on
plan. Square moulded brick panels flanked by fluted
pilasters with moulded strapwork friezes. Cornice.
Slab with inscription now largely illegible.
34 1033453 TOMB TO GOLDING AND ANN CONSTABLE IN
CHURCHYARD OF CHURCH OF ST MARY
Chest tomb. Early C19. Commemorates Golding
Constable (d 1816) and his wife Ann (d 1815).
Ashlar. On low splayed plinth with shallow
pedimented cover bearing inscriptions to Golding
and Ann. Inscriptions to other later members of the
family to sides. Golding and Ann Constable were the
parents of John Constable. The tomb was originally
surrounded by railings.
Drawing by John Constable reproduced in Elam, J F,
St Mary’s Church, East Bergholt 1986.
35 1033455 RECTORY HILL COTTAGE NUMBERS 1 AND 2 AND ST
MARYS COTTAGE
Range of cottages. Rectory Hill and St Mary’s
Cottage probably C16 with later alterations and
additions. Nos 1 and 2 probably early C19 replacing
earlier structure. Timber- framed, rendered. Part
underbuilt in painted brick and brick additions. Plain
tile roof. Red brick stacks. U-shaped group, Rectory
Hill Cottage stands gable end to street with range to

right forming Nos 1 and 2, except for the end bay to
right which now forms part of St Mary’s Cottage
which occupies a rear cross range. Later additions to
rear of cross ranges. Two storeys, attic to Rectory
Hill Cottage. Rectory Hill Cottage: 4-bay frame,
underbuilt in brick. Canted bay under tiled roof
containing small-paned casements. 3-light small-
paned casement above and 4-pane sash to gable.
Steeply- pitched swept roof. Stack to rear gable, now
incorporated into later range. Left return has central
half-glazed door with C20 bay window to left and
unequal sash with glazing bars to right. 8-pane
sashes above. Nos 1 and 2: half- glazed doors under
bracketed tiled porch. Horned sashes with glazing
bars. First floor string course. Two ridge stacks. St
Mary’s Cottage: 2- bay frame. Right return has C20
door in porch and C20 other openings. Rear
extension of probable C17 date. Interior: Rectory
Hill Cottage shows some framing including jowled
posts and studded wall to first floor. First floor front
wall has pair of blocked 6-light windows with ovolo
principal mullions and diamond subsidiary mullions
flanking C20 window. Clasped purlin roof. St Mary’s
Cottage: exposed framing. Originally jettied to rear.
Inglenook fireplace with stop-chamfered
bressummer. Studded walls. 2-light blocked window
to jettied wall showing section of ovolo and cavetto
chamfered mullion. Spiral newel stair adjacent to
stack. First floor: fireplace with chamfered elliptical
arch. Jowled posts with down braces and studded
walls with extensive surviving wall painting. Strap-
work and floral motifs in red and blue surmounted
by a frieze with hatchments, scrollwork and figures
in Renaissance style in black on a white background.

36 1033456 GISSINGS

House. Late C16 – early C17, two builds, with later
alterations including early C19 refronting. Timber-
framed, rendered. White brick front. Plain tile roof.L-
shaped plan with cross wing at rear left. 2 storeys.
Front range of 3 bays with jetty to right gable end.
Rear wing 4- frame bays. Front range. Pilasters
define bays. Half- glazed double leaf doors to centre
in architrave with pediment supported on consoles.
16-pane sashes in reveals under wedge lintels.
Unequal sashes to first floor. Off-centre ridge stack.
Left gable end has 12-pane sashes and bargeboards.
To rear a C19 shallow addition under pent roof.
Cross range: gabled porch in angle with front range
contains half-glazed door. 16-pane sash window to
centre and garage doors and fixed window to left.
Three C20 casements above. Large ridge stack
adjacent to front wing. Rear, oval plaque with
plasterers date 1708. Interior: C19 features include
staircase to central hall with short twisted balusters.
Kitchen, to right, shows a chamfered post, deep
chamfered beam and exposed joists. Further steep
staircase behind stack. Further framing exposed to
first floor including massive chamfered jowled post
with arch brace, cambered tie beam. Studded walls
and two 4-light blocked diamond mullion windows.
Wall plate with edge-halved scarf joint and
chamfered beam with lambs tongue stop. Rear
range: 4-bay frame with jowled posts. Clasped
purlin roof with assembly numbers and wind braces.

37 1033457 THE OLD RECTORY Rectory, now house. 1714 with additional wing of

1820s. Red brick in Flemish bond, front rendered,
rear painted. Slate roof to front, plain tiles to rear.
Two storeys, attic and basement. 4 bays with lower
range of 1820 to left. Steps to off-centre original
entrance (present entrance to rear). 12-pane
sashes. Parapet. M-shaped roof with gabled dormer
windows. Rear: later porch containing half- glazed
door. 12-pane sashes (some with thick glazing bars)
in flush architraves under flat gauged brick arches.
Eaves band and parapet. Gabled dormers with
sashes. Later wing: 12-pane sashes in reveals under
segmental arches. Interior: entrance hall has paired
arches to staircase with pilasters supporting keyed
archivolts. Closed-string stair (possibly somewhat
remodelled) with column-on-vase balusters
with square knops. Column newels and ramped
moulded handrail. Newels have square pendants
with finials. Dado panelling with pilasters follows line
of stair. Other features include a good carved
chimneypiece to the drawing room, another to the
entrance hall, 6-panel doors in architraves and
cornices. The home of Dr Rhudde, grandfather of
Maria Bicknell, wife of John Constable.
38 1033458 THE OLD HALL House, including former service range to north, now
divided into dwelling units. Range of 1713 (on
rainwater head) with later C18 – C20 additions and
alterations. Slid C19 conventual ranges and chapel
not of special interest. Service range probably C17.
1713 house for Joseph Chaplain. White brick with
red brick dressings.Red brick later C18 addition, part
lime washed. Plain tile and slate roofs. 1713 range
of 3 storeys, 7 bays with single-storey C18 addition
to south, raised to 3 storeys early C20, 2- storey C18
range to north, raised to 3 storeys C19. Extensive
conventual buildings to north incorporating earlier

service range. 1713 house, west front: outer bays
recessed. Plinth, quoins. Later Ionic porch with
dentilled pediment. 6-panel door with patterned
fanlight in panelled reveal. 18-pane sashes in
architraves with aprons. Gauged brick flat arches
and jambs in red brick. Floor bands. Similar first
floor windows and 12- pane sashes to second floor.
Moulded cornice and parapet. Recessed bays to each
side with similar detailing, that to right has
rainwater tread dated 1713 JCM. East front: 5-bay
range with 6th bay brought forward at right, similar
detailing to west front but no porch. Library range to
left originally single-storey has 3 tall 15-pane sashes
with cambered gauged brick arches. C20 addition
above, bowed front to south altered and raised
at the same time. To right, an originally 2-storey
range with sashes with glazing bars, some replaced
by casements. Second floor band with later addition
above. Interior: 1713 range has staircase hall with
panelling retaining fine dogleg stair-case with 3
twisted balusters per tread, carved tread ends,
Corinthian newels and ramped moulded handrail.
Panelled dado follows line of stair. Staircase window
in pedimented surround. First floor has two fully
panelled rooms with original doors and window
shutters. Remains of original panelling elsewhere
with dentilled cornices and doorcases. Library range
retains decorative scheme with dentil andmodillion
cornice and plasterwork ceiling. Service range to
north: C19 encasingof earlier timber-framed
structure which may relate to the original hall; red
brick in Flemish bond with plain tile roof; sashes
with flat gauged brick arches, (some later windows);
iron tie bar ends; hipped roof. Interior much altered,
but shows remains of frame with stout scantlings.

Posts with large chamfered knees with iron bolts,
one tie beam and other beams. Double span roof of
butt purlin construction, much altered, with former
window concealed beneath present roof. Old Hall
was the principal manor of East Bergholt. It was
acquired in 1701 by Joseph Chaplain, wine cooper
and High Sheriff of Suffolk, who built the house to
replace an earlier structure. The painting of the
house by John Constable was commissioned by the
owner, John Reade, in 1801. The house became a
Benedictine nunnery in 1856, at which time the
conventual ranges were added.
‘An Unknown Constable’ The Connoisseur Dec 1956
p 249.
39 1033468 GARDEN COTTAGE & WHITEHORSE COTTAGE House, now two dwellings. Probably early C16 with
later alterations. Timber-framed, rendered. Garden
Cottage partly underbuilt and cased in painted brick.
Plain tile roof. Red brick stacks. 2 storeys, L-plan,
Garden Cottage forms cross wing.Whitehorse
Cottage: central door under bracketed tiled porch.
C20 casements under hoodmoulds to each floor.
Steeply- pitched roof, hipped and gableted to left
with large ridge stack to right and later stack to left.
Garden Cottage: tripartite sashes with glazing bars
under hoodmoulds. Studded gable with bargeboards.
Right return low central projecting gbled porch
surmounted by date plaque 1904. Interior of
Whitehorse Cottage framing concealed. Roof not
inspected. Garden Cottage not inspected. Formed
the White Horse Inn previous to subdivision.
40 1033469 THE HAYWAIN Cottage, now shop and cafe. Probably C17 with C18
and later alterations. Timber- framed, rough
rendered. Front cased in brick. Plain tile roof. One
storey and attic. Central C20 shop front, with further
shop window to left and plank door and casement to

window to right. Attic jettied to left. 3 flat dormers.
Off-centre ridge stack and later stack to left end.
Rear cross range with dentilled eaves. Former list
recorded plasterer’s date of 1780 with the initials C
and S S. Included for group value.
41 1033470 GABLE COTTAGE & PEACH COTTAGE House, now 2 dwellings. C16 with later alterations
and C19 addition. Timber-framed, rendered, part
underbuilt in brick. Brick C19 range. Plain tile roof.
L-shaped with main range (Peach Cottage) gable
end to street with cross wing to left, with projecting
single- storey C19 addition. 2 storeys. Main range:
jettied front. Off-centre C20 door and casements.
End and ridge stacks. Interior: chamfered beam and
exposed joists. Blocked 3-light diamond mullion
window. Jowled post with arch brace to tie- beam.
42 1033471 THE TOWN HOUSE

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1033471
Burnt Oak Cottages on OS Map. Range of cottages.
3 builds. Early C16 range to Flatford Road, later C16
range to Main Road with probable C17 addition to
right. Later alterations. Timber-framed, rendered.
Plain tile roof. Red brick stacks. 2 storeys, L-plan.
Flatford Road front: 4 1st floor windows. Two C20
doors, small-paned casements. Steeply-pitched
hipped roof. To Main Road: 5 1st floor windows,
irregularly spaced. Range to left is jettied to rear.
Steeply- pitched roof. Range to right is slightly lower
with lobby-entry plan with half-glazed door and
further entrance in gabled porch to gable end.
Interior: Flatford Road range: chamfered beams and
exposed joists. No 2 shows jowled posts, cambered
tie-beam. Unmoulded crown post with mortice for
missing brace to collar purlin with splayed scarf.
Roof not fully inspected. In 1654 this building was
bought by the Parish Overseers for housing
paupers.
East Bergholt Society, East Bergholt 1981, Text J

Elam.
43 1193464 RICHARDSONS FARMHOUSE

© Google Earth
Farmhouse. Probably late C16 – C17 with later
alterations and additions. Timber-framed. Plain tile
roof. Red brick stack. 2 storeys, 4 -window front. Off-
centre door in C20 porch. C20 cross windows. Thin
timber- framing with long straight braces. Outshut
under pent roof to left. Hipped roof ridge stack.
Interior: hollow chamfered beams and moulded
joists with run-out stops. Bressummer with roll-
moulding.
44 1193465 ST MARTINS House. c1830. Red brick with white brick front. Slate
roof. 2 storeys, 3 bays with further ranges set back
at rear. Slight central breakforward and
anglepilasters. Central 4-panel door with overlight in
pilastered doorcase with cornice. Tripartite sashes
with glazing bars under patterned lintels with
anthemion motifs. Sashes with glazing bars above.
Overhanging hipped roof. Interior not inspected.
45 1193473 GASTON HOUSE INCLUDING FRONT GARDEN RAILINGS
AND GATE
House with railings and gate. c1840. House: timber-
framed and brick, rendered. Plain tile roof, red brick
stacks. Tudor style. 2 storeys and basement. Central
range flanked by cross wings. Centre range: to left
steps to gabled porch containing half-glazed door
with Tudor-arched entrance under hoodmould.
Mullion windows with pointed lights under

hoodmoulds. Left wing gable end has crenellated
square bay with mullions and transom window with
pointed lights. Similar 2-light window above under
hoodmould. External stack and a single casement
window to gable end of right wing. Bargeboards and
eaves course. Octagonal stacks. Iron railings and
gate with white brick wall and piers. Railings and
gate with Gothic motifs on dwarf wall with polygonal
piers. Interior not inspected.
46 1193497 THROWERS House. Late C18 – early C19. Timber-framed,
rendered. Plain tile roof. One storey and attic.
Central door with 2 upper panels glazed in doorcase
with attached reeded columns, frieze and dentilled
hood. 4- pane sashes in flush architraves. Flat
dormers with 4-pane sashes. Mansard roof, red brick
end stacks. Interior not inspected.
47 1193513 GATTON HOUSE House. 1809. White brick. Slate roof. 2 storeys, 6
bays. Doric porch to left containing C20 door under
patterned overlight. 3 tripartite French windows with
glazing bars under cambered arches, one small
canted oriel window and one casement. First floor
band, pilaster strip to bays 2 and 5. Three tripartite
windows with glazing bars in reveals with painted
sills. Otherwise 4- pane horned sashes in reveals
with painted sills. Hipped roof. Rendered stack rising
through eaves to left of entrance and two further

corniced stacks. In a letter of 26.6.1809 John
Constable’s mother wrote to him concerning this
house ‘it is a great improvement to the entrance of
our pretty village, and so you will think’. Interior not
inspected.
48 1193563 ROOKERY FARMHOUSE Farmhouse. C17, extensively restored c.1985.
Timber- framed, rendered. Plain tile roof, red brick
stack. 2 storeys and attic, 4-5 bay frame. Original
lobby entry now blocked, off-centre plank door to
right under tiled bracketed ho od. 2-light casement
to right. Restored ovolo mullion window to left of
door. C20 fixed light window to original lobby.
Bracketed C20 oriel to left. To first floor, restored
diamond mullion windows and fixed light window
against stack. All mullion windows glazed externally
with plate glass. Steeply-pitched roof, off- centre
ridge stack to left. Interior: frame mainly exposed,
chamfered jowled posts, wall plates and studding.
Arched down braces to angle post at first floor level.
Renewed staircase in original position to rear of
stack retains part of original newel. Room to left of
stack has inglenook with chamfered bressummer.
Cambered cross beam and longitudinal beam with
tongue stops. First floor open to roof in part. Tie
beam with replaced arch braces. Clasped purlin roof.
Further inglenook fireplace to bedroom and restored
window retains original shutter groove with replaced
shutter.
49 1193768 BLACKSMITHS COTTAGE House. Probably late C16-C17 with later alterations
and additions. Timber- framed, rendered. Plain tile
roof, red brick stack. Single storey and attic. Off-
centre l obby entry. Vertical panel door. 16-pane
sashes, that to right a replacement of c1985. Gabled
dormer with 16-pane sash. Tall ridge stack. Interior:
studded walls. Chamfered beams, some with tongue

stops and exposed joists. Room to left has fireplace
with elliptical arch under hoodmould in moulded
orange brick. Newel spiral stair behind stack. Former
kitchen to right has inglenook with timber
bressummer. Clasped purlin roof. Undergoing
renovation at time of resurvey.
50 1193779 THE LINNETS House. Probably late C16-C17 with later alterations
and additions. Timber-framed, partly
underbuilt/cased in red brick in Flemish bond. Part
rendered. Plain tile roofs. Red brick stacks. Range
gable end to street. 2 storeys, 2-bay frame. Single-
storey and attic range to left of single bay with later,
lower extension at left. Single-storey and attic range
front cased in brick, door under soldier arch to right.
C20 casement to left. Gabled dormer above end
ridge stack. 2 storey range: ground floor and first
floor of gable end cased in brick. C20 casements.
External stacks to gable ends. Swept roof. Interior:
studded wall with jowled post. Beam with tongue
stop. Inglenook fireplace to single storey range.
Reputed former service range of High Trees
Farmhouse (qv). Included for group value.
51 1193884 TOMB TO JOHN DUNTHORNE IN CHURCHYARD OF
CHURCH OF ST MARY
Tomb chest. Early C19. Commemorates John
Dunthorne and his son of the same name. Ashlar.
Rectangular on plan. To long sides, pair of basket-

arched panels with carved spandrels divided by
narrow round- arched panels. To roadside, panels
contain inscriptions. Cornice and domed cover.
Probably erected by John Dunthorne with assistance
from his friend John Constable in memory of his son.
52 1193939 PAIR OF TOMBS TO REVANS FAMILY IN CHURCHYARD OF
CHURCH OF ST MARY
Pair of tombs. Early and mid C19. Commemorates
James and Sarah Revans and their son and daughter
of the same names. Ashlar. Pair of sarchophagi with
head stones and low slabs at feet. James Revans
d1823. Sarah Revans d 1844. Sarah daughter of
above d 1843, James son of above d 1848. The
Revans family were closely associated with the
Constable family, James Revans senior being the
Steward of Golding Constable and this relationship is
reflected in the close proximity of the family tombs.
53 1193966 OLD CHAPEL HOUSE

House. C16 origins, C18 alterations, refronting of
1818 and C20 extension to left. Timber- framed,
rendered, partly cased in painted brick. White brick
front. Plain tile roof. 2 storeys, 3-bay front with C20
extension of one bay recessed at left. Angle
pilasters. Off-centre 6-panel door in p ilastered
doorcase with panelled reveals and soffit. Radial
fanlight with keyed elliptical archivolt. 12- pane
sashes in reveals, painted sills, cambered cement
arches. Narrow 8- pane sash to right of door.
Parapet. Roof hipped at front. C orniced ridge stacks.
C20 extension to left return with flush 12-pane
sashes. Interior: entrance hall withchamfered beam
and exposed joists, dragon beam at left indicates
former jetty. Room to right of door shows beam and
joists with hollow chamfers and pyramid stops,
kitchen to rear, chamfered beam, exposed joists,
studded walls, one with reused moulded joists.
Moulded beams to drawing room which also has
early C19 features including Adam style fireplace

and door architrave. 6-panel doors. Staircase, treads
replaced, closed-string, fluted column- on-twist
balusters. Fluted square newels with turned and
fluted newels to first floor. Arched string above stair
at first floor level. Moulded ramped handrail.
Panelled dado with fluted pilasters follows line of
stair. First floor: bathroom with inscribed date 1776.
Beams with deep roll mouldings separated by hollow
chamfers. Small section linenfold panelling. Bedroom
to right shows studded wall, moulded front wall
plate and section of moulded cambered tie beam.
East Bergholt Society, Looking at East Bergholt
1981. Text by J Elam.
54 1193984 WHITE HOUSE

House. Early – mid C19. White brick. Slate roof. Two
storeys, 5 bays. Central recessed Doric porch
containing double- leaf doors. French windows to
ground floor under painted lintels. Pilaster strips
define bays. First floor band, 4-pane sashes with
side lights with sills under painted lintels to first
floor. Over-hanging hipped roof. Interior not
inspected.
55 1193992 COACH HOUSE TO THE OLD RECTORY Coach-house. C18. Timber-framed, weatherboarded.

Plain tile roof. One storey and loft. Pointed studded
door with diamond panels and long strap hinges.
Casement with single opening light. Hipped gableted
roof. Said to appear in painting by John Constable of
Old Rectory. Included for group value.
56 1194049 HATTERS & THE OLD HOUSE

Two cottages. Two builds, probably C18 and early
C19. Timber-framed, Hatters rendered, whitewashed
brick to Old House. Plain tile roof. Brick stack.
Single- storey and attic. Hatters: 3-cell plan. Shop
window with glazing bars and half-glazed door to
left, 2 casements with shutters to right flanking
painted inscription ‘DEALER IN HATTS’. Large, off-
centre ridge stack to right. Mansard roof. The Old
House: shop window with glazing bars and door to
left. Mansard roof. Under-going renovation at time
of resurvey. Interior not inspected.

57 1194064 THE COURT Coach-house and stable block, now cottages. C18
with additions and conversion to cottages early –
mid C19. Red brick in Flemish bond. Plain tile roof.
One storey and attic. L-plan. Range to left: off-
centre pilastered and pedimented doorcase to
through passage of which the left wall has been
reconstructed in C20 brick. To left a blocked
cambered gauged brick arch with inserted glazed
door in pilastered surround and a casement window.
To right two flat gauged brick arches of blocked
entrances with inserted casement windows. Cross
wing to right: 2 builds. Left side a C20 door in trellis
porch flanked by a C20 pane sash under a cambered

gauged brick arch to right and by a fixed window
with glazing bars under a segmental arch to left.
Small casements with glazing bars above. To right a
C19 addition with 6-panel door in trellis porch with a
16-pane sash under a segmental arch. Further
addition to right. Dentilled eaves throughout. Roof
hipped at left. Interior not inspected.
58 1194077 RAILINGS AND GATES TO FRONT GARDENS OF
CONSTABLES AND FIVE FIRS
Railings and gates. Late C18. Cast iron and red
brick. Dwarf wall supporting railings with spearhead
standards, arrowhead bars and dogbars. Bottom rail
with quatrefoil motif. Matching double gates to left
and single gate to Constables. Formed the railings to
the Constable family house built late 1770s and
demolished C19. Included for group value.
59 1194113 THE RED LION Public House. Probable C17 origins with later
alterations and additions. Timber-framed, rendered
with colourwashed brick front and stacks. Plain tile
roof. Two storeys, three window front with single-
storey projecting addition to left of entrance. Single-
storey gabled cross wing to rear left and 2-storey
gabled cross wing to rear right. Off-centre entrance
under segmental arch. 4-light cross case-
ment window to right under segmental arch. Canted
projecting bay to left, tripartite sash with glazing
bars to front and 16-pane sashes to sides. To first
floor, three C20 cross casements. Cornice. Swept

roof with three gabled dormers with casements. End
stack to right, later stack rising through front roof
pitch to left. Rear: single-storey wing under steeply-
pitched roof. Gabled dormer to main range. 2-storey
wing with large ridge stack and addition under pent
roof.
60 1194133 MOSS COTTAGE Cottage. Probably C17 restored C20. Timber-framed,
rendered, part underbuilt in brick. Plain tile roof. Red
brick stack. Single storey and attic. Gable end to
road u nderbuilt in painted brick has C20 windows, 3-
light to ground floor, 2-light above. Right return has
2 C20 doors. Half-hipped mansard roof with central
stack. Used as a studio by the young John
Constable. Restored by the East Bergholt Society.
Interior not inspected.

61 1194143 BARCLAYS BANK & BEAUFORT COTTAGE Cottage incorporating bank premises to rear wing.
Early C19 with probable C17 rear wing. Timber-
framed, rendered, rear range, part cased/underbuilt
in whitewashed brick. Plain tile roof. Front range
whitewashed brick with slate roof. 2 storeys, 3 bays
with 2-storey rear wing gable end to street. Front
range (Beaufort Cottage): central 6-panel door in
doorcase with fluted pilasters, frieze with roundels
above pilasters and cornice. Panelled reveals.
Flanked by canted bays with sashes with glazing
bars with cornices. Unequal sashes with glazing bars
and sills above. Hipped roof, end stacks. Rear range
(Barclays Bank): to gable end C20 door to left and
C20 casement windows. Steeply-pitched roof.
Interior not inspected.

62 1194193 STOUR

Large house. C13 with C19 and C20 additions and
alterations. Red brick in Flemish bond. Slate roof.
Three storeys, the upper floor possibly being an
addition. Garden front: full- height 3-window canted
bays flank 3-bay centre. Central Ionic doorcase with
entablature contains glazed door. Further glazed
doors to canted bays flanked by 15-pane sashes.
Otherwise 12-pane sashes in reveals with sills under
cambered gauged brick arches. Moulded second
floor band. Cornice. Hipped roof. Road front: 7 bays,
later range adjoins at right. Central square
projecting Doric porch with double leaf doors, of
probable C20 date. Sashes with glazing bars under
cambered gauged brick arches. Interior: dining room
retains wall panelling, eared bolection- moulded
fireplace, 6-panel doors and panelled shutters.
Central staircase hall, originally 2 rooms, retains
some wall panelling. Somewhat remodelled, cut-

string staircase with 3 barleysugar-on-vase
balusters per tread, fluted Corinthian newels,
ramped handrail and carved tread- ends. Panelled
dado follows line of stair. Drawing room to south,
originally 2 rooms has some wall panelling and
carved pine eared fireplaces. To first floor, one fully-
panelled room with 2-panel doors with L-hinges and
several other rooms with original cornices. Known
originally as West Lodge, this house was renamed
Stour by Randolph Churchill, who lived here 1954 to
his death in 1968. The house may be seen in East
Bergholt Fair of 1811 by John Constable.
63 1194209 WOODGATES FARMHOUSE Farmhouse. Cross wing of probable later C16 date
with hall range rebuilt C17. Later alterations and
extensions to rear end left. Timber-framed,
rendered. Plaintile roof, red brick stacks. Two
storeys, cross range lower. Main range, lobby-entry
plan, 3 window bays. Large C19 porch under hipped
roof contains double doors flanked by 4- pane
sashes. C20 cross casements throughout front. Off-
centre stack and further eternal off-set stack to rear
(upper part rebuilt). Interior: framing mainly
concealed. To main range a pair of jowled posts and
rear wall plate with diamond mullion mortices.
Clasped purlin roof to cross wing which is said to
have some brick nogging.
64 1198508 VALE FARMHOUSE Farmhouse. Probably early C17 with C19 addition
and alterations. Renovated C20. Early range timber-
framed cased in red brick in Flemish bond. Gable
rendered. Brick C19 addition. Plain tile roof. Red
brick stacks. Single- storey and attic range with 2-
storey addition forming cross range to left. Early
range 3 bays with end lobby- entry to left. 4
casement windows under segmental arches. Gabled
porch to left. Further C20 door under segmental

arch to end room at right. 3 gabled dormers. Ridge
stack to left. C20 brick addition to rear under slate
roof.
2-storey range has casement windows under
segmental arches. French windows under C20
conservatory to left return. Interior of single- storey
range; somewhat rebuilt inglenook with timber
bressummer. Chamfered beam and joists with
tongue stops. C18 door to centre room with plain
beam and exposed joists. Although remodelled
externally, the house retains enough of its character
to be of interest as a surviving example of the once
common single storey and attic type.
65 1221606 K6 TELEPHONE KIOSK BY THE RED LION PUBLIC HOUSE

Telephone kiosk. type K6. Designed 1935 by Sir
Giles Gilbert Scott. Made by various contractors.
Cast iron. Square kiosk with domed roof.
Unperforated crowns to top panels and margin
glazing to window and door.
66 1221615 ORCHARD HOUSE House. Late C18. Timber-frame, rendered and
colourwashed, with pantile roofs and left centre
ridge and rear stacks. 2- unit plan. Single storey and
attic; 4- window range of 3 2- light and single-light

casements with blocked door to centre right. 2-light
dormer above. On left end a lean-to and porch with
present entrance. On right end a 2-light attic
casement over 2 small windows. Later full-length
outshut to rear. INTERIOR. Large panel framing of
light scantling visible together with closed central
truss and fireplace hood. 2 staircases in front
outside corners and plank doors.
67 1285819 STOUR COTTAGE

Cottage. Probable C17 core, refronted late C18 –
early C19. Timber-framed, with brick front,
rendered. Plain tile roof. Brick stack. Two storeys, 3-
bay front. Central entrance under ogee arch flanked
by pointed 3-light casements with Gothick glazing.
2-light pointed casements above. Steeply-pitched
roof. Section of wall containing arched entrance links
with West Lodge stables (qv) to left. Rear: catslide
roof. Single-storey range with large ridge stack.
Interior not inspected.
68 1285875 WREN COTTAGE Cottage. Late C18 with earlier origins, C17 rear
range. Timber- framed part cased in brick, rendered.
Plain tile roof. Two storeys, 3 bays. Central half-
glazed door in pilastered surround with entablature.
6-pane sashes in flush wood architraves. Stepped
eaves course. End stacks. Rear range single-storey
and attic with C20 casements and rebuilt ridge
stack. Interior: framing of rear range exposed,
studded walls, chamfered longitudinal beam with
plain stop and exposed joists. Inglenook fireplace.

69 1285896 DAIRY FARM COTTAGES

Two cottages. C16-C17. Timber-framed, rendered,
part underbuilt in painted brick. Plain tile roof. Red
brick stack. Two storeys. Two first floor windows.
Door to end right, present entrances to rear. C20
casements. Centre ridge stack. Steeply- pitched
swept roof. Interior of cottage to right, framing
mainly concealed, one large chamfered beam,
moulded beam of C16 form and some moulded
joists, otherwise interior not inspected.

Dairy Farm Cottages on the right hand side
70 1286029 QUINTONS COTTAGE

Cottage. Probably C17. Timber-framed core. Cased
in brick in English bond. Walls partly rendered. Plain
tile roof. Brick stack. One storey, two cells. Half-
glazed off-centre door under soldier arch flanked by
2-light casements. Iron tie-bar end. Steeply- pitched
roof. External stack to right gable end. Interior not
inspected.
71 1286129 TUDOR COTTAGE House. C16 – C17 with cross wing reconstructed
early C20. Later alterations including rebuilding of
right gable end wall and addition of porch. Timber-
framed, part underbuilt or infilled with brick, part
rendered. Plain tile roof. Red brick stacks. 2 storeys.
L-plan with jettied cross wing. Close-studding,
arched down brace above middle rail to right.
Reused timber to cross wing. C20 casements. C20
porch to left return. Steeply-pitched swept roofs.
Rebuilt chimney with paired diamond stacks to cross
wing and further stack to rear. Interior: rear range
has inglenook with bressummer. Chamfered beams.
Blocked 4- light diamond mullion window to first
floor. Jowled posts and studded rear wall. Stepped
range brick stack. Clasped-purlin roof with wind

braces. Included for group value.
72 1286137 COMMANDREE , LITTLE GOTHICS & THE GOTHICS

House with additional ranges, now forming 3
dwellings. Late C15 house with probable C17
additions and mid C19 remodelling. Timber-framed,
rendered. Plain tiles, red brick stacks. Original house
had open hall range with jettied cross wing to left
and service wing to right. Projecting added cross
wing to each side, that to right of 2 builds. Further
additions to right and rear. Mid C19 remodelling in
Tudor style. 2 storeys, except for former hall range
which is now one storey and attic. C15 range:
internal evidence for original cross passage entry to
right, remodelled to form lobby- entry to left
adjacent to jettied wing. C20 door. C19 mullion and
transom windows throughout, square bay to ground
floor of jettied wing. 2 gabled dormers. Upper part
of ridge stack rebuilt. Gabled added cross wings are
jettied to front and have similar detailing.
Bargeboards to gables. Rear section of right wing
has mansard roof. Interior: Little Gothics now
occupies the hall range and ground floor of service
range to right. Framing exposed including studded
walls. Original cross passage doors and paired
service doors (one renewed) with chamfered Tudor
arches. C16 ceiling with moulded beams with leaf
stops and moulded joists. Inglenook, somewhat
remodelled, with chamfered bressummer. Section of
inserted C17 panelling. Kitchen in former service
range retains cross beam with mortices for original
partition wall. Attic: the hall crown post and tie
beam have been renewed but a C20 post has been
inserted to support the original capital and braces
which survive together with the rest of the roof.
Front wall plate shows diamond mortices and shutter

groove of original hall window. Interior of The
Gothics not inspected.
73 1351909 THE KINGS HEAD Public House. Probably C17 with later alterations and
additions. Timber-framed, cased in painted brick.
Red brick stack. Plain tile roof. 2 storeys with single
storey stable range to left and addition under pent
roof to right. 3 bays. Central lobby entry. Half-
glazed door, 3-light casements, segmental arches to
ground floor, first floor band. Central ridge stack.
Interior: little framing exposed. Chamfered beams.
C18 corner cupboard with raised and fielded
panelling to doors, keyed round arch on pilasters
and shell hood and shaped shelves.
74 1351910 NOS 1 & 2 MEADOW COTTAGES House subdivided into two cottages. C17 with C19-
C20 alterations and additions. Timber- framed, cased
in red brick with plain tile roof and red brick stack.
Two storeys, probably originally two cell lobby-entry
plan, possibly extended at right. Patched brickwork
indicating blocked doorway to front probably relating
to C19 conversion. Entrances now to gable ends,
with single-storey addition to right under pantile roof
containing door. Two 3-light casements under
cambered arches, a single light in fire window
position and two further single lights at right. Two 2-
light casements to 1st floor. Steeply- pitched roof.
Partly reconstructed off-centre stack. Interior not
inspected.
75 1351933 COTTAGES TO EAST OF YEW TREE COTTAGES House, now two cottages. C17-C18. Timber-framed,
brick fronted, rendered. Plain tile roof, red brick
stacks. 2 storeys, 2 bays. Paired plank doors to
centre with C20 pane sashes to sides and above.
Iron tie bar ends. External end stacks. Single- storey
ranges to each side under pent roofs. Interior not
inspected.

76 1351934 CARRIERS ARMS Public House. Probably early C15 with later
alterations and additions. Timber-framed, rendered.
Plain tiles, red brick stacks. Single-storey and attic.
Original open hall converted to off-centre lobby-
entry plan. This entrance indicated by plain doorcase
now containing cross window. Present entrance by
low brick addition at left. C20 cross casements.
Canted bay to left. Centre Say projects slightly and
is surmounted by a gabled dormer. Swept gableted
roof. Large ridge stack and further external stack to
end left. Low extension under pent roof at right.
Late C18 – C19 range incorporated to rear left under
mansard roof. C20 extension to rear. Interior: C16
moulded beams. Framing exposed at attic level,
jowled chamfered posts, centre bay shows long arch
brace to cambered tie beam and base of square,
chamfered crown post. To front wall of centre bay
the wall plate has diamond mortices and shutter
groove of former hall window. Crown post roof, not
fully inspected but those posts visible unmoulded
with braces to purlin and collars, some missing.
77 1351935 TUFFNELLS INCLUDING GATEPIERS TO FRONT GARDEN House. C17 with later alterations and additions.
Timber- framed, rendered. Refronted in painted
brick. Plain tile roof. Red brick stack. 2 storeys, five
first floor windows. Off-centre lobby entry. Square
projecting brick porch with keyed archivolt
containing glazed double doors. Canted bay with
cross windows to left. 2-light mullion window and
one cross window to right. Unequal sashes above
and blind panel above porch under wedge lintels.
One gabled dormer. Swept roof with ridge stack.
Rear wing to right with mansard roof. Interior:
entrance hall has chamfered beam with tongue stop
and moulded joists. Little framing visible except
front and rear wall plates. Staircase with twisted

balusters of probable C19 date. Pair of C19 red brick
gatepiers with moulded cornices and stone ball
finials to front garden.
78 1351936 SHORT ACRE House. Early – mid C19. Brick,whitewashed. Slate
roof. 2 storeys. 3-bay section to right with central
entrance. 4-panel door with patterned overlight.
Pilastered doorcase with hood on consoles and
paterae in the frieze. 30-pane sashes with shutters.
Unequal sashes with glazing bars to first floor.
Section to left has half-glazed door with overlight
and casement windows. Low extension under
catslide roof to left. Roof hipped to left. Interior not
inspected.
79 1351937 TUDOR COTTAGE House. C16 – C17 with cross wing reconstructed
early C20. Later alterations including rebuilding of
right gable end wall and addition of porch. Timber-
framed, part underbuilt or infilled with brick, part
rendered. Plain tile roof. Red brick stacks. 2 storeys.
L-plan with jettied cross wing. Close-studding,
arched down brace above middle rail to right.

Reused timber to cross wing. C20 casements. C20
porch to left return. Steeply-pitched swept roofs.
Rebuilt chimney with paired diamond stacks to cross
wing and further stack to rear. Interior: rear range
has inglenook with bressummer. Chamfered beams.
Blocked 4- light diamond mullion window to first
floor. Jowled posts and studded rear wall. Stepped
range brick stack.Clasped-purlin roof with wind
braces. Included for group value.
80 1351938 THE LODGE COTTAGE House. Late C16. Timber-framed on red brick plinth,
front underbuilt in red brick in English bond, west
end pargetted. Plain tile roof. Red brick stack. 2
storeys, 2 bays. Door to left, 2 C20 casement
windows. C20 porch added at right. Close-studding
with arched down braces above middle rail. Blocked
original window to centre. Restored 3- light mullion
window to right. Roof gableted to right (west).
Off-centre stack. Rear: close studding with arched
down braces above middle rail. 3-light and 2-light
restored mullion windows under hoodmoulds. West
end: 4-light ovolo mullion and transom window
flanked by 3- light ovolo mullion side windows. C20
casement above. East end: jettied first floor and
gable. Close-studded except gable. 4-light ovolo
mullion and transom window with 4-light side
windows. Similar window above probably originally
had central oriel as indicated by mortices in soffit of
cornice. Interior: framing exposed. Beamed ceilings
with exposed joists. Jowled posts. Original newel
spiral stair adjacent to stack with horn ball finial to
newel. Fireplace to first floor with elliptical ovolo-
moulded arch.
81 1351939 QUINTONS HOUSE House. Probably late C16 with C17 rear cross wing.
Timber- framed, rendered. Part underbuilt in brick.
Plain tile roof. Red brick stacks. Two storeys. Front

range:5-bay frame of unusual width. Gable end to
road. Off- centre plank door flanked by casement
windows under timber lintel. 20-pane flush sash and
small fire window to left, further casement window
to right. To first floor, single-light fire window and
one casement. Steeply-pitched roof and large ridge
stack. C19 low brick extension to right gable end
which is underbuilt in brick and has rebuilt external
stack. Left gable end has flush sash window with
glazing bars to left otherwise C20 window. Rear
wing underbuilt in brick, studded above on right
return, external stack to gable.
INTERIOR: much framing exposed. Ground floor
shows studded walls. Room to left of stack has
Tudor-arched fireplace, cross beam with tongue stop
and exposed joists. Kitchen to right has cambered
bressummer with jewel stop. Corner cupboard with
raised and fielded panelling and cornice. First floor:
centre bay shows massive jowled posts with long
wavey arch braces to cambered tie beam. Studded
partition wall. To rear wall evidence of wide arch of
uncertain purpose. Edge-halved scarf to rear wall
plate. Large stepped stack. Blocked 4-light diamond
mullion window. Bedroom fireplace with chamfered
elliptical arch. Moulded plank door of probable C16
date. Roof: two levels butt purlins. Rear wing has
jowled posts with arch braces to chamfered tie
beams and studded walls.
82 1351940 SMITHY Smithy. C16 origin, later alterations. Timber-framed,
part cased in brick and part weatherboarded. Pantile
roof. Brick stack. Single storey, 2 bays. Stable door
to left, multi-paned window to centre and 16-pane
sash to right. Dentilled eaves to part. Extended to
right. Interior: studded walls, pair of jowled posts

Smithy to the right of Blacksmiths Cottage
with arch braces to cambered tie beam supporting
unmoulded crown post with braces to purlin. In use
as working Smithy at time of resurvey.
83 1351948 OAK COTTAGE Cottage. Probably C17 with C18 and later
alterations. Timber-framed, rendered. Painted brick
front in Flemish Bond. Plain tile roof. One storey and
attic. 2-cell plan. Central 4-panel door in pilastered
doorcase with dentilled frieze and cornice. 8-pane
sash under segmental arch to right, 6-pane window
in pilastered former shop window with cornice to
left. Jettied to right, probably to form access to rear.
Half-hipped mansard roof. 2 flat dormers with
casements. Low brick range with later stack to rear.
Interior not inspected.
84 1351960 FOUNTAIN HOUSE

House and cottage, now restaurant. 3 builds, central
section C16 with probable C17 section to left and
C18 cottage to right. Timber-framed, rendered. Plain
tile roof, red brick stack. Two storeys and attic with
single- storey cottage projecting to right gable end to
street. Section to left has 3- light windows with
central casements. Jettied central range has 2½-bay

frame. Porch to left with elliptical arch and 6-panel
door. 3-light window with central casement and 16-
pane sash to right. Added porch to right. Three first
floor casements. Gabled dormer, off-centre ridge
stack to right and roof gableted to right. Cottage has
C19 door and window with glazing bars to gable
end. Interior: jettied range shows jowled posts,
chamfered tie beams with arch braces, wall plates
and studding. Central half-bay contains large
stepped stack. Chamfered spine beam and exposed
joists to ground floor. Chamfered beams with run-
out stops. Rebuilt inglenook retains Tudor-arched
bressummer to rear. The cottage was the home of
John Dunthorne, village plumber and artist
companion of John Constable.
85 1351961 LITTLE COURT INCLUDING RAILINGS AND GATE TO
FRONT GARDEN

House, including railings and gate. House: C18
remodelling and refronting of C16-C17 core. Timber-
framed, rendered, refronted in red brick in Flemish
bond. Plain tile roof. Front range two storeys and
attic, 7 bays 2:3:2. Gabled cross wings to rear.
Central 6 -panel door in pedimented doorcase with
consoles. Sashes with glazing bars in reveals with
sills under cambered gauged brick arches. Eaves
band and parapet. Flat-roofed dormers with sashes
with glazing bars. Large off-centre ridge stack and
further stack to right, said to be flanked by mullion
windows on gable end, now concealed. Rear cross
range (to south) 2 storeys with C20 square bay,
unequal sashes with glazing bars and a modillion
cornice. External stack to gable. Two low gabled rear
ranges, that to left containing staircase has sash
window with thick glazing bars. Further lower gabled
range to north, incorporating later buildings. Single-
storey C20 linking range runs between cross wings.

Interior: C18 features include entrance hall with
paired arches with keyed archivolts on fluted
pilasters leading to staircase with ramped dado
panelling and twisted balusters to first floor.
Panelled room to right with fireplace with eared
surround with Greek key ornament, dentilled cornice
and panelled overmantel Further panelled room to
first floor right. Replica of clasped purlin roof of front
range
which was destroyed in a fire of 1982. Railings and
gate: C18. Red brick and wrought iron. Dwarf wall
supporting railings with spearhead bars and
standards with urn finials. Matching gate with dog
bars.
86 1351962 COTTAGE ADJOINING PAPER SHOP TO WEST Cottage, now also petrol garage premises. Early
C19. Brick, colourwashed. Plain tile roof. Two
storeys and attic. 2- window front. Central 6-panel
door in wood surround. S -pane sashes in flush
frames. Stepped and dentilled eaves. Mansard roof,
stack to rear. Rear range: 1 storey and attic under
mansard roof. Interior not inspected.

87 1351963 WEST LODGE COTTAGES Cottage. Late C18 – early C19. Red brick in Flemish
bond, rendered in part. Plain tile roof. One storey
and attic. Stands end on to drive. Two C20
casements. Right return C20 door in architrave.
Stepped and dentilled eaves. Half-hipped mansard
roof with stacks to end and rising through roof pitch
to left. Included for group value. Interior not
inspected.

88 1389147 WAR MEMORIAL War memorial. 1921. By FC Eden. Clipsham ashlar.
The memorial is in the form of a wayside cross with
a small gabled crucifix supported on an octagonal
shaft with carved foliage band at the top. The shaft
rises from a stepped base and pedestal on which
there are inscriptions to those who died in both
World Wars. Forms a group with the Church of St.
Mary the Virgin (qv).

89 1401377 ELM FARM, EAST BERGHOLT No information.

Bibliography and Sources TBC
Policy and Guidance
The Setting of Heritage Assets: Historic Environment Good Practice Advice in Planning Note 3
(Second Edition). Historic England (2017 edition)
Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act, 1990
National Planning Policy Framework, December 2024
National Planning Practice Guidance, 2019
Conservation Principles, Policies and Guidance, Historic England (2008)

General information
https://maps.nls.uk
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list
www.heritagegateway.org.uk
http://magic.defra.gov.uk
www.history.ac.uk/victoria-county-history

Map references and credtis for Brasier maps
Enclosure map
Tithe map

Expert Report
Jeremy Lake (2025) National Trust Conservation Management Plan

Websites

Books/articles

East Bergholt Parish Council

East Bergholt Parish Council

Item 10 2025.09 COMPRESSED EB Conservation Area Appraisal DRAFTv2.pdf

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East Bergholt
Parish Council