History of South Elmham
The locations of the seats of the early bishops of East Anglia is a matter of some controversy. The first bishop, Felix, was seated at Dommoc (either Dunwich or Felixstowe); in the later 7 th century the see was split, with bishops at Dommoc and Elmham ; but both bishoprics disappeared after the Viking invasions of the second half of the 9 th century. Episcopal rule was restored by Bishop Theodred of London in the 920s. After him there was a succession of bishops of Elmham until the 1070s, when the see was moved to Thetford and then, in the 1090s to Norwich. There is little doubt that, in the Late Saxon period, the see was located at North Elmham in Norfolk, but there is still doubt as whether North or South Elmham was the location of the Middle Saxon bishopric. At Domesday, the whole of the ferthing (a quarter of a Hundred) of South Elmham belonged to William, Bishop of Thetford.
The current Hall dates back to the 13 th Century and was built by the Bishops of Norwich who held the South Elmham villages at Domesday as part of the ancient Saxon estates. They came here to hunt the deer in the park that surrounded the Hall and to entertain the rich and powerful including royalty.
The hall and farm where acquired from Henry VIII in 1540, by Edward Lord North, and in the following 460 years the property has changed hands only four times.
Restoration of the house and surrounding buildings began in the late 1980's with many original features discovered. The 16 th Century exterior, now a grade 1 listed farmhouse, hides a medieval first floor hall where the bishops of Norwich held court for 400 years. Wall painting revealed, during restoration, date this part of the house to 1270 these are some of the earliest and best preserved domestic wall paintings in East Anglia.
In the four acre moated enclosure, which surrounds the Hall, which is thought to pre date the property, is a ruined gatehouse and range of converted farm buildings which incorporate some remnant architecture of the bishops chapel and cloister.
Like many historic buildings it has been extensively remodeled over its lifetime but with careful restoration it is slowly revealing its past.
