HERITAGE Listed Buildings in Litcham Litcham contains two Grade I and fourteen Grade II listed Buildings _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ GRADE  I  1. All Saints Church  (LB1) Church Street, (east-side). Consecration date 1412. Square Tower, largely rebuilt in 17th Century. Consecration date 1412. The square brick built West Tower was built 1669 by Matthew Halcott according to date-stone, partly rendered flint with stone and clunch dressings, slate and lead  roofs. Aisled nave of four bays and chancel. West Tower of three storeys with buttresses to west and eastern end of north and south faces. Stone quoins and platbands. Three-light Y-traceried west window and two-light Y-traceried bell openings. Crenellated parapet with obelisk pinnacled at angles. Perpendicular aisle windows  of three-lights with crossed heads to lateral lights in the distinctive manner of a church of St. Nicolas, Kings Lynn. Three-light Y-traceried window on west wall of nave, now obscured by tower. Y-traceried fenestration in chancel, probably post-Medieval. No clear storey. Nave arcades with narrow lozenge shaped piers with single faceted shaft supporting inner orders of arches with  outer orders dying into piers. One octagonal pier assembly a survival from an earlier church. Wave moulded and hollow chamfered arches with hood-moulds on bearded head label stops. 15th Century hexagonal pulpit supported on single shaft. Blind traceried panels with carved spandels and an 18th Century stair with turned balusters and fluted newels.  Aisle roofs with  some original arch braced principal rafters. Unusual rood screen, showing twenty-two painted images of saints (red and green), dated 1536. Very fine 14th Century chest with blind tracery. 17th Century communion railings. Pair of Medieval misericord seats, box pews. Fragments of Medieval glass in easternmost north aisle window. Poor box beside entrance, probably 17th Century. Late Medieval octagonal Font. The Register dates from the year 1550. The Church contains the ‘Litcham Cryptogram’ a piece of medieval graffiti whose meaning is still a mystery... click here for more... _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Priory (LB5). Corner of junction of Church Street (west-side) and Dunham Road (north-side). Former chapel and Hermitage converted into Farmhouse, now dwelling. Early 14th Century with important 17th Century additions. Flint with stone and clunch dressings to Medieval part. Timber frame mainly replaced with brick and a flint and brick gable-end to early 17th Century side extension. Brick late 17th Century service and stair rear extension.  Later brick lean-to. Black pantiled roofs. Two storeys with attics. Flint gable wall with former large arched east window. Angle buttresses with niches with trefoils heads. 17th Century gable with pair of blocker windows, tumbling in, moulded brick gable corbels and inserted stack. South facade with six 19th Century 3-light casement windows. Arched central window with Y-tracery. 14th Century front door with busily moulded arch of filetted rolls and undercut hollow rolls on to a plain-chamfered jamb. Two 18th Century dormers with moulded pediments and metal casements with leaded glazing. 17th Century west gable-end with two unblocked fragmentary ovolo-moulded two-light mullion windows. Two later 17th Century extensions with curvilinear gables and windows (mainly blocked). with moulded brick eared architraves. Semicircular headed doorway with projecting imposts and key. Interior. Two crown post trusses over former chapel, one octagonal with moulded capital and base and four-way bracing. Corresponding tie cambered and hollow chamfered with former notched arch braces and wall posts. Roll-moulded wall plate, four queen post trusses (2 survive) to early 17th century extension. One 16th Century bridging joist with broad chamfers and broach stops. 17th Century beams with barred and ogee stops. Part of jettied timber frame survives on north-side. Very fine staircase with tapered baluster and newel stops. Stone dressed western fireplaces. Surviving inventory of Matthew Halcott. The Priory was used a s a house of rest for pilgrims on the road to the shrine at Walsingham, the next place of rest being at Fakenham; it may well be that Henry VIII rested here when he made his pilgrimage to Walsingham in the early part of his reign. Archaeology: (Site No.A21) For many years the site of the Priory was believed to be the site of a Priory. There is a possibility a hermitage stood here that was occupied by Thomas Canon. More probably it is the site of the Manorial Chapel, part of the Nethered Hall Manor. Pieces of Kempstone Church were built into the Chapel in recent years. In 1979, during construction of a house inside the moat area Roman pottery was found. Later during the erection of a porch to the same house a 15th Century jug was revealed which is presently on loan to Norwich Museum. The house known as Priory Barn, built on the edge of he moat, was originally in use as a tannery. Many skeletons of oxen were found beneath the house floor. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ GRADE  II   The Bull, Public House  (LB2) South-east corner of junction of Church St and Mileham Rd (B1145) Public House, south-east corner of junction of Church Street and Mileham Road (B1145).17th Century with 18th Century former stables and an early 19th Century side extension. Rendered timber frame with flint and brick gable-ends., brick stables and colour washed brick side extension. Pantiled roofs, black to original block. Two storeys with attic to original block. Original block of two bays with 19th Century sash windows at ground floor three-light casements above and flat headed dormers with two-light casements with glazing bars. Gable-end stacks. 19th Century side extension of three bays with four sash windows with glazing bqrs and one later 19th Century replacement. Central raised and fielded paneled door. Doorcase with reeded pilasters and the flat hood on the pair of shaped brackets. Steps with swept metal railing. Former stables form frontage along Mileham Road. Three sash windows with glazing bars at the upper floor. Three ground floor windows beyond (one blocked) with segmental heads. Dentilled cornice and carriage entrance beside main block. Beams with ogee and nicked stops in original block. Brick fireplace with plain chamfered shallow arch. Some 18th Century doors with raised and fielded panels. Jowled wall posts and butt-purlin roof to original block. History: Petty sessions for the division of Launditch were held at the Bull Inn, on the first Wednesday on every month for the prosecution of felons. The turn of the century saw more cases referred to Dereham County Court. Probably the last case at the Bull was the inquest held over the death of an air when his Fairy Battle aircraft crashed in the Mileham area in 1938.C17 with C18 stables and early C19 side extension. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  School House  (LB3) No.17 Church Street (east-side). Former shop and dwelling now part of school and adult education centre. Two storey house with attic. Brick with some gault flint, pantiled roofs. Features Seven bays of sash windows with glazing bars beneath gault brick skewback arches at ground floor and renewed to replace former shop front. Rusticated quoins of flint pebbles producing vermiculated effect. Off-centre (2nd bay from south) raised and fielded panelled front door with door case of engaged Corinthian columns supporting a pediment with modillions. Off centre axial stack and gable end stack. South gable-end of galletted flint with brick tumbling-in. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ No.15 Church Street (LB4) East-side of Church St. Adjacent Butcher shop and opposite Post Office, similar to School House. Two storey house with attic, 20th Century Butchers House adjoining north side. 18th Century, brick with black pantiled roof. Features Two storeys and four bays of sash windows with glazing bars under skewback arches. Raised and fielded panelled front door opposite off-centre stack. Door case with engaged Tuscan columns supporting a mouled pediment. Moulded brick cornice and rusticated quoins. Platbands and tumbling in gable-ends. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ No.19 Church Street (east-side)“The White House”  (LB6) On south-eastern corner of junction of Druid Lane and Church S. Probably a former shop and dwelling, 18th Century and later. Features Brick with Black pantiled roof. Two storys and three bays. Four light former shop window in north bay with simple entablature on pilasters. Other windows 19th Century sashes with vertical glazing bars. Central panelled front door with simple door case. Dentiled cornice with gable end stacks. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Post Office (LB7) No.12 Church St. (west-side) Post Office, general store and dwelling, 18th Century. Features 18th Century and later, brick with Black pantiled roof, two storeys probably with attics. Original house of five bays of sash windows with glazing bars. Skewback arches to ground floor windows. Steeply Pitched roof and central axial stack to original house. Central doorway with raised and fielded panelled door and St. Andrew cross lower panel. Doorcase with dentilated pediment on console. Plain platband and rusticated quoins. Early extension to side and rear with a 20th century shop-front and two sash windows with glazing bars above. Similar rusticated quoins. The front wall features an inset George V post box. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Blenheim House (LB8) Church St. Grade II. Opposite Druid Lane junction. Features House. Circa 1840. Brick with slate roofs. L plan with single storey extension to the side and rear. Two-storey main block with two-bay north facade and single bay side facade of sash windows with glazing bars forming octagons. Pedimented door-case to single storey extension. Hipped roofs. Metal railing with Fleur-de-lys terminals on flint plinth with stone coping. Included for group value. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ High House Farm (LB9) Weasenham Rd Grade II. 18th Century. 18th Century Farmhouse, brick with slate roof. Two storeys with attics. Features Five-bay facade of sash windows with glazing bars beneath skewback arches.Central partly glazed, front door with semi-circular fanlight. Semicircular hood on brackets and fluted pilasters probably modern. Moulded brick and dentilated cornice. Three-bay side elevaton with one gabled dormer with decorative barge board. Steeply pitched hipped double roof. Two front axial stacks, one rear axial stack and one gable-end stack. Later side extension. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Point House (LB10) Junction of Back Street (north side) and Tittleshall Road. Grade II. Circa 1830. House, Circa 1830, brick with slate roof. Two storeys, L-plan. Features North-east face of two bays: one bay blind, one sash window with glazing bars and one wider later double sash window with glazing bars. Later slightly recessed, two storey side extension with pantiled roof. Single bay of sash windows with glazing bars beneath skewback arched to other elevations. Doric door-case with fluted pilasters . Clasping pilasters with simple moulded capitals and plinths with chamfered stone coping. Hipped roof with central stack. (Group value with 7/26 and 7/30)    ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Manor Farmhouse (LB11) Church Street (west side, opposite Church). Grade II. Late 16th Century or later. Former Farmhouse, late 16th Century or later. Features Rendered timber frame replaced with colour washed brick to rear and ground floor. Brick gable-ends and modern pantiled roof. Two storeys and four bays of 19th Century three-light chamfered mullion windows with transoms and skewback arches with cambered soffits at ground floor. Central paneled front door with simple doorcase. South gable-end probably early 17th Century stack addition in English bond brickwork. Off-centre axial stack. Shallow pitched 18th or 19th Century roof. Frame of heavy scantling with wide chamfers and stepped stops, joists also chamfered. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Litcham Hall (LB12) Lexham Road (north side). Grade II. Dates back to 14th Century. Description: House. 1781 on rainwater hoppers with initials N.R. (Nicolas Raven). Reduced on 1845. Brick with stone and stucco dressing. Formally U plan but only main block remains. Two storeys with attics and cellar. Formerly of three storeys with only advanced centre bay standing to full height. Five bays of sash windows with glazing bars beneath skewback arches. Stone platbands connect windowsills. Front door aedicule of 1845 in stucco with arched entrance flanked by arched margin  lights supported on pillasers and surmounted by cornice and broken  pediment. 1845 moulded cornice with an unusual tripglyph-derived motif. Rising centre bay  with bullseye window and broken pediment. Staircase with opening string, square sectioned balusters and swept mahogany handrail. A Brief History: The Hall was built by Nicolas Raven of Harpley, in 1781. The original late Georgian building was considerably larger, having another storey and two wings which extended almost to the site of the present road. Nicolas Raven was succeeded by his cousin, Peter Raven, who was the Village doctor for many years. His son, and grandson, were both doctors in Litcham, and it is not surprising that the house became familiarly know as Pill Hall.To this day, descendants of the Raven family still call to see the house, any many of them are doctors too, continuing the family tradition. The present appearance of the Hall dates from 1854, when it was considerably altered. The surgery remained in the left wing and some of the shelving in the dispensary has survived to this day. Henry Keppel, Esq., who came from the celebrated naval family, purchased the Hall from the Raven family at the beginning of the 20th century. He was considered too small for the Royal Navy, weighing less than 7 stones at the age of 13; but still determined to go to sea, he joined the Merchant Navy and apparently he never lost his head for heights for it is said that even at the advanced age of 88, Mr. Keppel climbed up to inspect some repairs  on the roof, “because Rallinson cannot manage it.” Rallinson, his faithful factotum, was actually five years his junior; and apart from a single night, the old servant had never slept away from Litcham in his life. Mr. Keppel died in 1938, in his 90th year; his younger daughter, Mabel, lived at the Hall until she died in1967, when it was purchased by Mr. Birkbeck. The Tulip Tree in the front garden is considered to be one of the oldest and finest in the country. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Fourways (LB13) junction of Mileham Road (north side) and Back Lane. Grade II. Former Toll House now dwelling and Village Museum.  Former Toll House now dwelling. Early 19th Century with later extensions. Flint with gault brick dressing to original block, red brick dressings to early extensions and colour-washed brick to 20th Century extensions. Black and red pantiled roofs. Original cottage of two storeys and three bays of two-centred openings with hood molds. Two blind windows at first floor, other windows with two-light y-tracery. Central front door with blind tracery. Masonry in bands of flint with single course brick. Rusticated quoins. Extension not of special interest. 14. Limekiln in Garden of Fourways, Grade II (LB14) . Disused limekiln circa 1830. Brick with outer wall in flint. Four accurately centred barrel vaulted passages (one blocked), around a central pier with arched chutes in each face. Infilled bell. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Cornershop, No.1 Tittleshall Road (LB15) Grade II. Shop and dwelling, circa 1860. Shop and dwelling, circa 1860. Gault brick and some red brick with stucco dressings and slate roofs. Two storeys. Arched ground floor opening with entrance on curved corner flanked by triple opening with colonettes and leaf capitals. At upper floor twin sash windows and balcony on corner with twin sash windows to west and triple sashes to south. Balcony on three shaped brackets with decorative metal railing. Projecting eaves with occasional brackets. South face continues with two bays in red brick with large arched entrance to workshop beside an arched sash window with glazing bars. Two twin sashes above. West face continues with two bays with a slightly advanced gable entrance bay with arched front door and arched window above with balcony.Twin sashes to side. Remaining houses in row not of special interest. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Oakland Farmhouse (LB16) Tittleshall Road (East side) Grade II. Features Farmhouse, Early 19th Century. Brick with slate roofs. L-Plan, 2 storeys and 3 bay facade of sash windows with glazing bars beneath skewback arches. Taller ground floor windows. Central front door under semi-circular arch with traceried fanlight. 20th Century 2 light glazed door. Projecting eaves with paired shaped brackets. Hipped roofs and three stacks. Interior with original stair and raised and fielded panelled doors.  _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/10/2011/litcham-cryptogram-a-medieval-mysteryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilastershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dentilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quoinshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallettinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dentilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quoinshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quoinshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedimenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilastershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dentilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilastershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilastershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_%28architecture%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamferhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mullionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soffithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaulthttp://www.litcham.org/photos/Listed%20Buildings/LB2_Priory500.jpghttp://www.litcham.org/photos/Listed%20Buildings/LB2_Priory500.jpghttp://www.litcham.org/photos/bull.jpghttp://www.litcham.org/photos/Listed%20Buildings/LB4_School_Ho500.jpghttp://www.litcham.org/photos/Listed%20Buildings/LB5_15_Church_St500.jpghttp://www.litcham.org/photos/Listed%20Buildings/LB6_White_Ho500.jpghttp://www.litcham.org/photos/postoffice1.jpghttp://www.litcham.org/photos/Listed%20Buildings/LB9_High%20House%20Farm.jpghttp://www.litcham.org/photos/Listed%20Buildings/LB10_Point_House450.jpghttp://www.litcham.org/photos/Listed%20Buildings/LB11_Manor_Farmhouse500.jpghttp://www.litcham.org/photos/Listed%20Buildings/LB13_Fourways500.jpghttp://www.litcham.org/photos/cornershop.jpgshapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1shapeimage_1_link_2shapeimage_1_link_3shapeimage_1_link_4shapeimage_1_link_5shapeimage_1_link_6shapeimage_1_link_7shapeimage_1_link_8shapeimage_1_link_9shapeimage_1_link_10shapeimage_1_link_11shapeimage_1_link_12shapeimage_1_link_13shapeimage_1_link_14shapeimage_1_link_15shapeimage_1_link_16shapeimage_1_link_17shapeimage_1_link_18shapeimage_1_link_19
 













See Also

Litcham Conservation Village

Breckland Council 1975 (2.3Mb PDF)

Litcham Conservation Map



What is a listed Building?

A Listed Building is a building of Special Architectural or Historic Interest the character of which it is important to conserve. Buildings are selected on the advice of historic building experts employed by English Heritage.  A wide range of structures are protected in this way including  red telephone boxes, gravestones, barns, cottages and farmhouses as well as country houses and churches.

Listed Building Status means the building may not be demolished, partly demolished or altered (internally or externally) in such a way that it's character is  affected, without firstly obtaining Listed Building Consent from the District Council (Breckland).  This protection covers all later additions and internal features and also include all other structures such as walls and outbuildings within the curtilage of the Listed Building.

Each building is graded according to according to it’s national architectural and historic importance and rarity as Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II, the great majority (90%) being Grade II.