Abbot’s Hall
Stowmarket
Present house built: c.1709 with later additions
In the 12th century King Henry II granted the Manor of Stowmarket, and thus this estate, to the Abbey of St Osyth (established in Essex in the early 12th century). The name "Abbot's Hall" suggests a reference to this period of ownership. After the Abbey was dissolved in 1539 the estate passed through the hands of many private owners but initially Lord Thomas Cromwell was in possession of it. Following a falling out with King Henry VIII resulting in the arrest of Cromwell, the estate returned to being the property of the Crown.
Little is known about Abbot's Hall in the Middle Ages but it is probable that there was some kind of hall to house any representatives of the Abbot that were watching over the running of the estate. The Abbot's Hall we see today was not built until the occupation of Charles Blosse, a local gentleman and merchant, in 1709. It was built in the Queen Anne style, the fashion of the day, and accompanied by the gardens, walled garden, water features, lake and lily ponds. Over time the landscape has altered and it appears that no records survive to indicate the original design.