Site of Debden Hall (EHER 252)

This is the site of Debden Hall, a late 18th century building, as marked on Chapman and Andre map of 1777. Debden Hall was demolished in 1936.

Site of Debden Hall, a late 18th century building, as marked on Chapman and Andre map of 1777, demolished in 1936. <1> - <3> NRHE data transfer: Debden hall (NAT). <4> Debden Hall built 1796 was demolished in 1936. <5> The Gardens Trust have undertaken considerable research on Debden Hall and Park: LOCATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES, LANDFORM, SETTING Debden Hall stood 0.3kms NW of Debden parish church, towards the bottom of a S facing into which it was partly cut, with views to S and w over the long curved lake. The site is surrounded on three sides (N, W and S) by a valley (flooded to form a lake) with undulating countryside beyond. The distant view is closed by woodland belts on the higher ground beyond. The estate covered about 53 hectares, and is now divided between three farms. ENTRANCES AND APPROACHES The main approach was from Newport lodge on the N edge of the park. This is a single storey polygonal building in gault brick with gothic windows, now much enlarged. The first section of drive runs through a woodland belt, flanked by some surviving yew trees which show no evidence of having been cut as a hedge. After crossing a utilitarian brick culvert, it climbs the hill between a line of lime trees, with open parkland on each side. The mansion would not have been visible until after reaching the crown of the hill. At the bottom of the hill, the drive bifurcates. One section, now overgrown, turned W to the front of the house, the other continues past the stables, crossing the lake over a C19 three arch bridge (recently covered with a concrete slab). It continues up the slope on the other side through former parkland and woodland to join a track between Waldegraves Farm and Rook End. PRINCIPAL BUILDINGS The mansion (dating from at least two different periods) was demolished in 1936 after a period of decline, and only its cellars remain visible. A small cube shaped building in gault brick, with a hipped plain tile roof (said to have been a game larder), and an intact icehouse, survive just north of the footprint of the mansion. To the south-east is an unusual and very substantial, two storey, red brick stable block in Flemish bond, probably early C18, but worthy of further investigation. It is roofed with concrete pantiles. The symmetrical façade of the bailiff’s house (dated 1783 in the external plaster), the yard and the buildings of Hall Farm are on higher ground 0.3kms NE of the mansion site. These are of red brick and plastered timber frame, and the fine red brick double height courtyard gateway arch is dated 1782. See <7> for further detail.