Visit to Smallbridge Hall

Event details

Saturday 24th September 2022 - 10:30am

Smallbridge Hall is a Grade II* listed house on the Suffolk/Essex border, standing on the banks of the River Stour.

The present building is one wing of a large moated two storey red-brick Elizabethan mansion built by the Waldegrave family. It includes a moat and a mid 19C innovative model farm incorporating 18C stables.

The Waldegrave family owned the Wormingford estate, which is on the other bank of the River Stour, from at least the 14th century. The Smallbridge Hall had come into their possession when Sir Richard Waldegrave married Joan, the widow of Sir Robert de Bures. Around 1555, Sir William Waldegrave rebuilt the house, and received Queen Elizabeth there in 1561. The property remained with the Waldegrave family until c. 1700 when it was sold to pay debts. The hall has been owned by many other families after that.

It was rebuilt around c. 1893 and further restored by Lady Phylis MacRae, who lived at Smallbridge from around circa 1929/30 and brought up her family there.  

Lady Phyllis MacRae was the daughter of Alice Frances Theodora Wythes, who was the grandaughter of George Wythes (of Copped Hall) the railway engineer who built the farm buildings. Alice married Frederick William Fane Hervey the 4th Marquis of Bristol.  Her fortune was used to "save" Ickworth House.

Lady Phyllis MacRae moved to Ickworth in 1947 and Smallbridge Hall was tenanted until 1958, after which it passed through a succession of owners and uses, including a girls' school.

Programme

This will be a full day visit, commencing 10:30am, taking in the house and the model farm, which is currently undergoing conservation work. We will be guided by the owners, Mike and Heather Hargrove. A light lunch will be included.  The visit is expected to conclude by about 4pm.

The price is £15 per person including a light buffet lunch on the premises.

A map and further information will be sent to registered participants nearer the time.

Bookings

This event is limited to SPAB members and their guests. To register, please log in. If you can't remember your password, you can request a new one here. 

If you find you are taken to the SPAB homepage when you try to book, it indicates that you are either not logged in or don't have a current SPAB membership. Please contact our membership team for help.

As long as there is space on the event, we usually allow you to book for both yourself and a guest. When completing the booking form, you will be asked to select the number of people and put in your own details on the first page, then to put in your second person's details on the next page. The event fee shown on each of these pages is for the individual person - you will be shown the total amount due once you get to the summary page.

About the Essex Regional Group

The SPAB Essex Regional Group was formed in 2000 and has been active ever since. The types of visits are fun, interesting and educational with an annual social event, normally in an historic building. Our participants vary from interested SPAB members wanting to enhance their knowledge of historic buildings to professionals using the visits as part of their continuing professional development programme.

Booking Terms & Conditions

Accessibility: please contact the Group Organiser before booking to discuss any special access requirements.