Great Ellingham Hall
Photograph taken September 2020
Great Ellingham Hall is one the oldest houses in Great Ellingham. According to British Listed Buildings website, the former manor house to the ‘Manor of Ellingham Hall’ was built c.1570.
Writings left by a former owner, Henry Gurney (1548-1615) include details of earlier owners of the Manor of Great Ellingham Hall. They also refer to certain re-building and other works carried out to the ‘house’ by Henry’s grandfather, Anthony Gurney (died c.1555), as well as the works undertaken during Henry’s tenure.
Anthony Gurney
The Estate and the Manor of Ellingham Hall came to Anthony Gurney through his marriage to Margaret Lovell. It was on the death of Margaret’s relative Henry Spelman Esq., of Great Ellingham in c.1524 that the estate probably came into the hands of Anthony Gurney.
It is recorded that Anthony found the Ellingham estate in an extreme state of dilapidation. The house ‘had not been maintained by the space of about 120 years’. This statement suggests that there was a house on the site from at least 1400!
As mentioned, Anthony Gurney began the ‘re-building’ work to Great Ellingham Hall. Whilst this work was being carried out, the Gurneys lived at nearby Bury Hall.
Bury Hall had come into Anthony Gurney’s control by his (second) marriage to Elizabeth Tyrrell. She was the widow of Henry Spelman Esq. However, Elizabeth’s use of Bury Hall was limited to her lifetime. Accordingly following her death, Elizabeth’s family ‘took back’ Bury Hall.
Francis Gurney
Anthony Gurney died c.1555 without completing the re-build. Further, his son and heir, Francis Gurney, died within a year or so of Anthony’s death. I think it unlikely that Francis Gurney ever lived at Great Ellingham.
Henry Gurney
Francis’s son, Henry Gurney (1548-1615), was 7 years old when he inherited his late grandfather estate.
However, Henry took over the estate on reaching the age of 21 in 1569. He then set about continuing his grandfather’s work to Great Ellingham Hall – particularly after his marriage to Ellen Blennerhasset in 1571. The couple lodged with Ellen’s family whilst the work continued in Great Ellingham. Nevertheless, Henry and Ellen with their two children moved to Great Ellingham c. 1574.
I do not know whether Henry Gurney continuously occupied Great Ellingham Hall from 1574 until his death in 1615. He also owned an estate at West Barsham, as well as land and manors in other places.
Thomas Gurney
Henry Gurney (1548-1615) and his wife Ellen had 13 known children. Their eldest son Thomas was born in 1572 in Norwich, whilst his newly married parents were lodging with his mother’s family.
Around 1596, Thomas married Martha, the daughter of Edward Lewknor Esq of Denham, Suffolk. The couple had a number of children, including Edward (known as ‘Ned’) born c.1608. I do not believe that Thomas Gurney lived at Great Ellingham Hall with his wife. However, some of his childhood was spent at Great Ellingham.
Tragically for the Gurney family, Thomas Gurney died c.1616, only a year or so after his father, Henry.
Edward ‘Ned’ Gurney
It is recorded that ‘Ned Gurney’ was 7 years 11 months and 22 days old when he inherited the estate of Great Ellingham Hall from his father, Thomas (1572-1616).
The Gurney family still owned the West Barsham estate where I believe ‘Ned’ lived. Edward (Ned) Gurney (1608-1641) married Frances Hovel c.1630.
They had two known children Henry (born c.1632) and Frances. It is likely that after the death of Henry Gurney (1548-1615), Great Ellingham Hall was tenanted.
Ned Gurney died at a relatively young age of around 33 in c.1641.
His son and heir is Henry (born c.1632). Once again, a young boy inherited the Manor and Estate of Great Ellingham Hall (and of Barsham and elsewhere). I have no doubt that Great Ellingham Hall was still tenanted. Nevertheless the Great Ellingham estate remained in the Gurney family’s ownership.
Ned’s son, Henry Gurney
Henry married Ellen Adams. However there were no children from this union. In addition, Henry’s sister, Frances, died without leaving issue.
Davy and Potts
The Manor of Ellingham Hall and the estate then came into the tenure of the Davy family of Great Ellingham, and then Sir Roger Potts of Mannington by his marriage to Mary Davy. They married in Great Ellingham in 1665 and moved into Great Ellingham Hall.
Mary Davy is the daughter of William Davy of Great Ellingham and his wife Margaret. Margaret is a daughter of Thomas Gurney and Martha Lewknor, and sister of ‘Ned’ Gurney (1608-1641).
Sources:
‘The Record of the House of Gournay. Internet Archive https://archive.org/stream/recordhousegour02gurngoog/recordhousegour02gurngoog_djvu.txt accessed 12 March 2026
https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~kell/genealogy/dad/hooe/mort.pdf
Anderson Verily. 1980. Friends and Relations. Three Centuries of Quaker Families. Hodder & Stoughton. Pages 24, 26, 27, 29-31, 33-4, 37, 39, 44, 47, 62, 69, 75