Sudbury Photo Archive
Ballingdon Hall is a Grade II* listedStructure of particular architectural and/or historic interest deserving of special protection. manor house in Sudbury, Suffolk built by Sir Thomas Eden, the MP for Sudbury, in about 1593. The two-storey timber-framed building has attics, cellars and a tiled roof.[1][2]
The mansion was originally built to an H-shaped plan, but all that remains today is the north wing.[2]
Relocation
RuralHistoria
Ballingdon Hall was originally sited at the bottom of Ballingdon Hill, but in the early 1970s the land surrounding the house was sold to the developer Wimpy, who planned to build a housing estate. This prompted the then owners, John and Angela Hodges, to consider moving the house to land higher up the hill, which John had recently purchased.[2]
The original intention was to dismantle the hall and rebuild it, but as it was a listed building planning permission was only granted on condition that the house was moved intact.[3] So it was supported by a steel frame, jacked up off its foundations, and put onto steel joists supported by 26 wheels, to be slowly towed up the hill. Thousands turned out to watch the move, charged 10p each, money which went to to the local church. Engineers estimated that the move would be completed in a week, but in the event it took almost a year.[2]