Heritage repair works

Over the winter you may have noticed that the ruins of Trowse Newton Hall were closed off behind locked gates. Then signage went up informing visitors that the structure was potentially unsafe.

Did you know that these ruins date back to the 1450s? Any historic structure is vulnerable to weathering, especially an exposed ruin such as this one, and we are hoping to avoid further flint loss from the walls.

We are pleased to announce that these ruins are now set for important heritage repair works so they will be able to re-open to visitors when the works are complete next year.

The ruins of Trowse Newton Hall at Whitlingham Country Park,

Why has it taken so long to get repair works started?

There has been a lot of planning and investigation going on behind the scenes in our office!

The ruins of Trowse Newton Hall are grade II listed, which brings an extra level of complexity when dealing with their repairs. They also sit within listed parkland. We were advised to enlist a heritage buildings expert to survey the ruins and create a comprehensive report detailing the repairs needed.

Once the report was ready, a listed consent application had to be put forward to the Broads Authority planning department. With that, advice was sought from various heritage experts, including the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and expert cathedral architect Nicholas Warns, about the type of lime mortar that should be used for the repairs, as well as seeking suitably experienced heritage builders for this project.

What has happened so far?

The heritage experts at Phoenix Build have recently removed the ivy and vegetation from the ruins to check the state of the flint and lime walls underneath.

This work has been discussed on site with the heritage officer from the Broads Authority's planning team. This has been a positive process, where we have felt thoroughly supported. It is clear that everyone involved wants the same end result - a safe structure which is repaired with historical integrity for all to enjoy.

What's going to happen next?

The expert team at Phoenix Build will be back on site to repair and restore the vulnerable sections of each of the flint wall sections. The best lime mortar match has been identified for this structure which will give the longevity and breathability needed for the structure's future.

This repair work is likely to start in the early part of 2026.

Heritage Open Days (HODs)

Whitlingham Country Park didn't host a HODs event this year, but hopefully in future we will be able to show off the repaired structure as part of the HODs events for the public to discover more about the building's history.

We love hosting theatre and music events within this atmospheric space, so do keep an eye on our What's On page for future opportunities.

👀 Keep an eye on this amazing structure as it develops and starts to come back to life!