Stowupland Hall (aka Uplands Hall)
In 1820 this ‘new built brick-built mansion‘ was advertised for sale. Though possibly not called Stowupland or even Upland Hall at this time it is the house we now know as Stowupland Hall. It formed part of the a estate of the late John Bayley Tailer (d. 1817) who had inherited it from his Uncle Issac Bayley on his death in 1800. This was probably when the house was built (Langridge: 2017). For a summary read Watch Bench Lane .
It is thought but not proven that today’s house was built on the footprint of an older property.
In the document designating ‘Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Town and Country Planning Act, 1947: Section 30) –the hall has a Grade II listing: early 19c. three storeys. White brick, slates.3 w (s)., sashes in cased frames, flat arches. Glazed door, narrow side lights, semi-circular fenlight. Potico in Ionic order, entablature.
The house exists today on the corner of the A1120 and Rendalls Lane, adjacent to the junction of Bell’s Lane (continuation of A1120) and Saxham Street. Research is ongoing as to what existed in this area before the building of Stowupland hall. See St Thomas Hall
In the first half of the 19th century the hall was owned and the land farmed by members of the Freeman family; and their estate workers.
1821 – Charles Rayner Freeman, in 1856 he bought a piece of land called Pheasans from Richard Dalton (owner of Park Farm). EC tells us it is now called Little Fesdons (4a 1r 34p)
1864 William Freeman
1865 Isaac Strutt from Yarmouth. – 1868 For Sale the entire farming, live & dead stock of Isaac Strutt Esq who has let Upland hall.
Between the 1870s and 1920s the Hall was owned by the Harwood Family from Tuddenham.
1874 Thos Harwood
1885 Hy Fairfax Harwood (d1927)
By 1887 George Joshua Scarlett was working at Stowupland Hall. He planted a tree in the grounds of the hall to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.
Arthur Woodward Skingley is the tennant.
1885 Edgar (or Edward?) Crooks is bailiff
1891 John Harrington is bailiff
1896 John Maskell is Bailiff to H.F. Harwood. He adopted Bessie Boast and later moved to Bayes Farm,Earl Stonham. Bessie died in 1934 age 34.
During the first half of the 20th century it was the venue for the Stowupland Fete
1925 Hy Fairfax Harwood is owner but Thomas Carter is tenant
After the death of H.F Harwood, Thomas Carter bought the estate till he retired in the mid 40’s and the estate was sold to Robert Black. Thomas moved to Felixstowe where he enjoyed growing vegetables till his death in 1973,
1945 Robert Black. See the 1945 catalogue for the live and dead stock of Stowupland Hall
In 1961 Robert Black died and Stowupland Estate was sold.
The 1961 Particulars of sale, are of interest because they give the dimensions of the hall rooms, the out buildings and the cottages that were owned by the estate i.e.
- Victoria Cottages which had electricity and water and occupied by Mr Buckle and Mr. Cooper , both estate employees.
- A block of 6 Cottages (Barn cottages)
- Also mentioned is a steel framed Fodder and Implement Barn of concrete block and asbestos construction, erected in recent years,
The small section (pink) of the sale details does not show the fields owned by the estate, but on the extreme right it shows Coopers Barn Cottages. These were once owned by Richard Bendall (in 1854).
The map below shows the property at the time of the death of A. Alexander. An oil pipeline runs beneath the fields5992, 5512 ,5646.
1961 Thomas Chaplin bought the farm and in 1977 he and his wife held a Silver Jubilee Party for the children from Saxham Street in one of their barns
1979 the estate was bought by Margaret and Alexander Oglivie Anderson. In 1984 their daughter Margaret was engaged to Christopher, second son of Mr & Mrs J Knock from Hall Farm House, Battisford.
1990s sale of Stowupland Hall. Sadly the Hall can no longer be accessed from the Main Road. The gates are kept firmly shut as it is deemed too dangerous to exit onto the A1120. All traffic enters and leaves via Rendall Lane.
1993 following the death of A Anderson it became the offices and factory of Plain English, producing hand crafted kitchen units. The fabric of the hall and its outbuildings have been lovingly looked after with many original features restored. Although the estate lands have been largely sold of to other local farmers.
