The inner gatehouse was built by John Heydon in the 1450s as the first part of a grand courtyard residence, which covered at least half of the present site.
John Heydon rose to prominence as a supporter of the first duke of Suffolk, William de la Pole. During the turbulent Wars of the Roses (1455-1485), John often switched political allegiances to serve his own means.
Although he managed to amass great wealth, he also made many enemies, and was described by contemporaries as crafty and quarrelsome.
The gatehouse was an important symbol of John Heydon’s lordship. It was also large enough to serve as a self-contained defendable residence in times of danger.
The will of John’s son, Sir Henry, describes these rooms as being luxuriously furnished with feather beds and silk curtains. A small room directly above the porch was probably a private chapel.
Disclaimer
The text and pictures on this page are derived from the 'Heritage Unlocked' series of guidebooks published in 2004. We intend to review, update and enhance the content in the near future as part of the Portico project, whose objective is to provide information on the history, significance, research background and sources for all English Heritage properties.
