Great Ellingham Hall 2020Courtesy Tracy Knowles Great Ellingham Hall is a wonderful Grade II listed building. It was ‘re-built’ in the 16th century during the Gurney family’s tenure. With no direct Gurney male heirs, the property then came into the ownership of the Davy family, subsequently passing to Sir Roger Potts by marriage. In 1712,…
Category: Colman
Francis Colman Negus’s Tenure of Great Ellingham Hall
Great Ellingham Hall 1960sCourtesy of Susan Fay Great Ellingham Hall and the ‘Ellingham estate’ came into the ownership of the Coleman family in 1712. Francis Coleman purchased the estate from the Potts family. Francis Coleman’s Children The surnames ‘Coleman’ and ‘Colman’ are consistently interchangeable in records. However on the most part, ‘Colman’ seems to be…
Fysher Colman’s Tenure of Great Ellingham Hall
Great Ellingham Hall 2020Courtesy Tracy Knowles Great Ellingham Hall is a delightful centuries old moated manor house in the heart of Great Ellingham. This Grade II listed building is tucked away in its own grounds off Penhill Road. Other articles on this website cover the earlier history of the house and the Manor of Ellingham…
Francis Coleman’s tenure of Great Ellingham Hall
Great Ellingham HallPhotograph taken September 2020 Ancient Moated Farm House White’s Directory of 1864 refers to ‘The Hall’ at Great Ellingham as “an ancient moated farm house, formerly the seat of Sir Roger Potts, Kt., is now the residence and property of Benj. Barnard, Esq., on whose estate a remarkably fine stone celt and a…
Harry Rix’s Early Boyhood Recollections of Great Ellingham – Attleborough Road
The recording of everyday histories is of vital importance. Written accounts often focus on prominent figures and major events. Documenting daily life preserves the lived experiences of ordinary people. Great Ellingham is particularly indebted to two Great Ellingham inhabitants who recorded some of the history and life in the village: William Robert Lebbell (1884-1965) and…
From the Davy family to the Potts Family – Great Ellingham Hall
Great Ellingham Hall 1960sCourtesy of Susan Fay The British Listed Buildings website suggests that Great Ellingham Hall was built c.1570. However, I believe it may have been a little earlier. During the 16th century, Anthony Gurney began a ‘re-build’ of Great Ellingham Hall. He died in 1556. The Gurney family also owned property and land…
The Building of the Baptist Chapel
Baptist Chapel, Long Street, Great EllinghamAttleborough Heritage Group The listing for the Great Ellingham Baptist Chapel on the British Listed Buildings website describes the building as: Baptist chapel. 1824. Brick with gabled pantile roof. 2 storeys. Pair of modified Doric columns on plinths support Ionic architrave to form porch. One sash window left and right…
John Whittred buys Brooke’s Farm
It was around 1812 that John Whittred purchased a modest farm in Long Street from John Wiggett. The premises comprised a house with a barn, stable, yard and garden. The purchase also included some 30 acres of land. Much later, this farm became known as Cemetery Farm and, in more recent times, Home Farm. However…
The History of Glenfield House & Cottage – Part II
Photograph taken December 2023 Great Ellingham is fortunate to have a wealth of historical houses. Many of these may have narrowly escaped the fate of demolition, as happened to so many of the village’s old cottages. Glenfield House and Glenfield Cottage comprise the characterful thatched house standing along the Attleborough Road, near to the junction…
The History of the Double Cottage built on Pennell Common – Part I
Double Cottage at Penhill Road. Photograph courtesy of McDouall family For nearly two centuries, the above double cottage is one of just a few houses in Penhill Road. It was built around 1810 on a piece of land formerly part of of ‘Pennell Common’. Like many other historical houses in the village, the cottage has…