ABOUT EARSHAM HALL

Earsham written in the Domesday Book 'Hersham' was the chief manor of the hundred of that name. In the time of Edward the Confessor it belonged to Stigland, Bishop of the East Angles who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Earsham Hall dates back, probably to the fifteenth century and formerly consisted of three long timber framed buildings; two of these still remain although long since cased in brickwork. The central one with a Dutch gable, a clock and a cupola, and the one to the right which now houses the showrooms.

In 1710 John Buxton who then was an amateur architect enlarged the hall by the addition of a block in the style of the day we call Queen Anne which comprises of the entrance hall and main rooms. In 1720 the hall was brought by Colonel William Windham a member of a prominent Norfolk family, the Windhams of Felbrigg Hall near Cromer, who is buried under the alter in Earsham Church. In 1730 the hall was passed to another William Windham (his cousin) he served for more than 30 years as comptroller to the household of the Duke of Cumberland, son of George II a post which involved responsibility for the Dukes domestic and financial affairs.

The Duke presented Mr Windham with a portrait of himself, which now hangs over the mantelpiece in the library. There is also a marble bust of him in the dining room.

In the garden is a magnificent row of Portugal laurels, a gift from the King of Portugal to the Duke, who passed them on to Mr Windham.

After Mr Windham's death the estate passed to his nephew, Joseph Windham, and in 1811 to Sir William Windham Dalling, Bart. Sir William Windham Dalling, Bart died in 1864 leaving no children and the estate was passed to his nephew John Meade, the son of Gereral the Hon. Robert Meade and Louisa, his wife, the sister of Sir William Windham Dalling, Bart.

The expense of keeping up and running such large houses was too much and in 1949 the contents of the hall was sold and it was let as a boarding school for boys aged 11 to 18. The school could take a maximum of about 90 boys, but it was rarely filled and finding and keeping staff was a problem. As time went on the need to keep up the numbers of pupils led to growing reliance on boys from overseas. The prospectus gave as one of the aims of the schools " to train its boys to become reasonably good citizens"!
In 1975 the financial and political pressure was too great and the school closed down. For the first time in 250 years the hall was put on the market.

Two years later the hall was brought by Mr John Derham an antique dealer from London. John and his family moved in to Earsham Hall and he established a furniture business on the premises and initiated restoration work on the building, which had suffered during its use as a school. In 1982 John's parents Jag and Mary moved up from London into a suite of rooms which they renovated. Then in 1991 John's son Mr Rupert Derham purchased the hall and started the present successful business of Earsham Hall. The extensive showrooms boast the largest selection of pine in East Anglia.