Redgrave Hall 1344/ '45
by Jean Sheehan

The consistency of daub varied between different parts of the country but mainly consisted of wet clay or mud, chopped straw or cow-hair, and in some areas cow dung, which Tony was using. After mixing, the daub was thrown onto the wattle, usually with someone each side of the wall throwing at the same time, then left to dry, and when built up adequately, was plastered over. The Redgrave History Group has recently discovered an account roll in the British Library for the year 1344/45 which lists the expenses of building work to the Abbot of Bury's manor at Redgrave, and this mentions daubing in several instances for which the builder was paid 1½ d a day.

This document builds a vivid picture of the buildings in Redgrave Park at this time. The property was built as a hunting lodge for Abbot Samson who died in 1211. Amongst the rooms mentioned is the hall, which would have been the main room used for eating during the day and sleeping at night. The Abbot would probably have slept in the lord's chamber. A smoke vent was inserted for the hall and the lord's chamber, as the only form of heating at this time would have been an open fire in the centre of the hall and the smoke would be drawn out through the vent. The repair of shutters in the hall and lord's chamber is mentioned; these would also have been used to control the draughts through the unglazed windows to control the fire burning. There were other rooms mentioned for the clerk, arms bearer, bailiff, Master Robert of Harlyng, and the great solar which would have been an upper room for private use of the Abbot. The kitchen would probably have been a separate building as it mentions tilers roofing the kitchen which took four weeks and cost ten shillings for labour, the two men being paid two shillings and sixpence per week between them. Another entry also records lead being used for mending the roof. Kitchens for large houses were usually built a short distance from the house due to the high risk of fire from the open hearths used for cooking, which is the reason for tiles rather than thatch being used. Other rooms which were used for the preparation and storage of food were the dairy chamber, bakehouse, and the larder building. Presumably the rest of the building was thatched as a reed thatcher and his servant together were paid 5d a day for thatching the hall and the lord's chamber which took eight and a half days, including new ridging. The cost of the reeds was two shillings and twopence per 100 sheaves. There was a chapel mentioned, which was separated from the lord's chamber by a passage, and also a guest house with its own stable.

Buildings mentioned for the livestock and farming of the demesne were the granary, barn, new poultry house, dove house, stable, cow shed, goose house, carthorse stable, palfrey stable, and workshop. Firewood was kept in a 'chamber towards the orchard'. In the park was a building called Le Bury, and another called Le Wayte. There were probably more rooms and buildings than these mentioned in the document which did not need repairs.

Most of the work was for general repairs, including a great number of hinges, locks with keys, partitioning, daubing, plastering, and carpentry. General labour was priced at one and a half pence per day, although more specialised trades were slightly higher. The cost of nails ranged from one penny to threepence per 100, probably depending on size.

A great deal of the work was performed as they were expecting the arrival of the lord, who would have been William of Barnham at this time.

This account also included work to the Tollhouse in Botesdale, which would have been the tollhouse for the market. This included new roofing, and mending the steps.A barn was rented from Robert le Porcer in winter for the sheep pen of the lord at Aldwode.

It is not known exactly where in the park the Abbot's buildings were situated. The Abbots lost the manor at the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539 and it passed into the hands of Henry the eighth.

Nicholas Bacon bought the manor and started to build a new house in the park in 1545 and in a document drawn up between these dates the property was described as 'a park with deer in the same and a ruinous mansion place now for lack of reparation sore decayed'. On a plan of Redgrave Hall drawn up in 1937 there is a tiny amount of wall at the back of the tudor kitchen marked thirteenth century stonework. It is possible that it could have been part of the original Abbot's hall.