35.—Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk. Entrance Tower (1482).
At Oxburgh Hall, in Norfolk (1482), we have another type of defensive house (Fig. [34]). It was built round a court, as well as being surrounded by a moat. The entrance was through a lofty tower into the court, on the opposite side of which was the hall of the usual type. The kitchen was to the right on entering, in the extreme south-west corner of the building—not exactly the aspect we should choose in the present day. So many changes have been made in the use to which the rooms in these old houses have been put, and in the way of approaching them, that too much stress must not be laid upon the details of the plan, but the relation of the hall and kitchen at Oxburgh must have been always the same. The rest of the building is made up of small rooms surrounding the court, not arranged on any elaborate plan, but put to whatever use was required. It will be seen that although there is a considerable amount of uniformity in the arrangement of Oxburgh Hall, there is no strict symmetry. The entrance tower is in the centre of the front, but the windows on either side of it do not tally with each other. The entrance to the hall is not on the axial line of the tower, nor is the setting of the windows and doors in the court by any means regular. As we advance in time, we shall find that all these points were very carefully attended to, especially towards the end of the sixteenth century. The plan here illustrated was made in 1774, and a few years subsequently the south side of the court, containing the hall and kitchen, was pulled down. Other alterations have been made since then, but there is still much of the original work left. The great entrance tower (Fig. [35]) shows still a certain hankering after defensive features; there is a curtain arch thrown across between the turrets, from behind which missiles could be hurled upon unwelcome visitors, and the openings in the turrets are of the smallest. The windows generally are of few lights, the heads are pointed and cusped, the parapets are corbelled out and battlemented, and the whole work is of Late Gothic character without any trace of the new style in its decoration.
36.—East Barsham, Norfolk. Ground Plan (cir. 1500-15).
At East Barsham (about 1500-15) we get indications of the new style in the treatment of parts of the ornament. The general feeling, however, is still Gothic. There is not much of the plan to be made out, but what there is shows a large entrance tower, with the porch of the hall exactly opposite to it (Fig. [36]). The hall has a bay window at the daïs end, and, contrary to custom, a fireplace in the end wall. The kitchen is to the right on entering, and is approached by a passage from the middle of the screens. The whole arrangement is in the main of the usual type, so far as it can be traced. The new feeling is indicated in one or two panels which bear a head, but most of the ornament is still of the Gothic type with cuspings, etc. At the neighbouring parsonage of Great Snoring, which resembles East Barsham in general treatment, some of the ornament is more decidedly Italian, with the characteristic balusters and foliage.
Plate XI.
COMPTON WINYATES, WARWICKSHIRE (ABOUT 1520).
GENERAL VIEW.