Somerleyton Hall - the west porch. The first stone manor house on the site was built in about 1240 by Sir Peter Fitzosbert. He was succeeded by the Jernegan family who lived at Somerleyton for 13 generations. The tomb chest of Sir Richard Jernegan > 1505740 - Privy Councellor to Henry VIII - is the oldest feature in St Mary's church > 1505719 which is located in the grounds, a short distance to the south. In 1610 the house was rebuilt in the East Anglian Tudor-Jacobean style by John Wentworth, also commemorated in St Mary's church > 1505744. Sir John was captured and jailed during the English Civil War (but later freed by Cromwell's troops) and one of his captors, Sir Thomas Allin, bought the estate in 1672. Sir Morton Peto acquired the estate in 1843 and had it changed to the Italian-Victorian house we see today > 1506720. Sir Peto also had St Mary's church repaired and refurbished. A new model village > 1505643 was built to the design of John Thomas, the architect of Somerleyton Hall, and the railway > 1505968 was brought to the village in 1847. Sir Francis Crossley bought the Hall from Peto in 1863. In 1916 Sir Savile Crossley became Baron Somerleyton and his son, the 3rd Baron, inherited the title in 1959. Charles Dickens - a friend of Morton Peto - visited in 1848 while researching and writing 'David Copperfield' which is set in nearby Blundeston. Sir Christopher Cockerell, inventor of the Hovercraft, tested his first model on the Pergola Lawn of the Hall.

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Top Lowestoft Hotel Reviews

Sprowston Manor Hotel, Golf & Country Club

10/10 Excellent

"Excellent staff went out of their way to help. However not really dog friendly, totally understand that dogs not allowed into restaurant and normally quite happyvto eat in the bar, but only one table really suitable to eat at. If you were not lucky enough enough to get this then you either had to sit at a very small table just big enough for 2 plates that was at knee hight so not very relaxing or you had the large very comfy sofas and a small coffee table again not ideal to eat at. Also a lot of complaints at how hot the restaurant was whith people not wantingvto eat there so making the bar more crowded. Even the staff were embarrassed to serve people at these tables. However the rest of the stay was great, room was large and clean, only one very flat pillow per person was unusual, I would have preferred either a larger one or small ones. "