HADLEIGH SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER - DECEMBER 1988

GREAT TIDINGS TO ONE AND ALL

The Officers and Members of the Executive Committee take this opportunity of wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

As you will see from the following Programme for the coming year we have worked out what we hope you will feel will be an interesting and varied series of talks and trust you will be able to join us.

You will also find a blank membership application slip which you may care to use to enrol a friend or member of the family for Christmas? What a splendid idea for sending someone your personal best wishes for the whole of the coming year.

THE CONTINUING SAGA OF THE TOWN HALL/ GUILDHALL COMPLEX

Notwithstanding our recent submission to the planners we feel all concerned will wish to see the Town Hall! Guildhall complex restored to some form of use as soon as possible.

We sympathise with the town council and applaud their attempt to get to grips with the matter. it would seem that earlier this year three schemes submitted by Messrs Purcell Miller Fritton and Partners (Architects to the Market Feoffment Charity) to English Heritage were considered together with the observations of that body.

	Scheme 1 - based on the original plan in the ‘Major’ proposal and included the demolition of the existing toilets, building a new fire escape staircase in their place and providing a new toilet block within the north wing of the Guildhall. It also allowed for a glazed link to provide access between the ground and first floors of that wing.
	Scheme 2 — based on a scheme previously suggested by the Town Clerk with an alternative fire escape stair to the Old Town Hall, retaining the existing toilet block for use in the north wing.
	Scheme 3 - similar to 2 but reworking the existing staircase to enable it to be used as a fire escape to the Old Town Hall.

English Heritage favoured the first scheme, they consider it least damaging to the fabric in so far as it requires an extension to the modern w.c. block only and was the original proposal approved by English Heritage in 1986. Scheme 2 was considered undesirable as the provision of a new external fire escape staircase would be visually intrusive to the west courtyard. Scheme 3 would involve disturbance to the historic fabric and the reconstruction of the south east staircase.

It was accepted that Scheme 1 would involve considerable additional expense for which no real provision had been made, would reduce the potential number of meeting rooms or offices and the fire escape would be of no use in connection with other parts of the building. Nevertheless further approaches to English Heritage could be unfruitful and time consuming. In the circumstances the Town Council agreed that the Architects be instructed to proceed with Scheme 1 and to apply for Planning consent on behalf of the Town Council as prospective Trustees.

It was agreed that the Architects should also be asked to revise the toilet provision as that shown on the plan was considered insufficient.

It was suggested that English Heritage should be consulted as to the advisability and need to insert 150mm T sections in the beams of the floor of the Old Town Hall. It was agreed that the Architects be asked to check and comment further on this requirement.

It was also agreed that the Architects should approach the Fire Officer in connection with the proposals to ensure that his requirements will be met and to establish his current assessment of the fire hazards.

As reported in last month’s newsletter planning permission has now been given. This will permit work to go ahead for the "conversion of existing Assembly rooms, offices and licensed premises, construction of new fire escape and sanitary accommodation. Plans may be seen at the District Council Offices Planning Application No. B/88/1457). The work is reported to be costing up to half a million pounds.

Have the Town Council got it right ? What are your views? We should be pleased to hear from you.

THE HADLEIGH SOCIETY AWARD

This is the last month for your nominations for the above award for the current period so do not delay write off today using the special form, previously provided, or simply drop a line to the Hon. Secretary, The Hadleigh Society, c/o 106 High Street, Hadleigh, Suffolk for nominations to be received before 1st January 1989.

Remember nominations are invited from any member of the Society, bearing in mind that in deciding whether or not to make an award the Committee and any expert that they may consult will be considering how sympathetic the work is with its surroundings and how well it integrates with them. Any earlier works you may feel should have been recognised in the past may be nominated. Note the Award is not only in recognition of outstanding improvements to, or conservation of, Hadleigh buildings but also of its environment.

MORE FROM THE GAZETTEER OF 1855

Recalled by Paul Garrod

THE MARKET-RENTS TRUST - By indenture, in the reign of Henry 6th, Wm. Clopton Esq., granted to 24 trustees, land called Church croft, belonging to the manor of Toppesfield Hall, with a building thereon used as the market house, and all liberties, rights, and customs belonging to the market and fairs, except the assize of bread and ale, waifs, strays, forfeitures, &c, to be held by them and their heirs at the yearly rent of 6s.8d. The property and privileges comprised in this grant have been transferred from time to time to new trustees, for the relief of the poor, the church and other public uses.

THE BRICKS OF HADLEIGH - continued by Roger Kennell

MONK BOND

This bond has no monastic connections, but is a variation of our last bond Flemish, and as we shall see, is often used in conjunction with it.

Monk Bond shows a header being followed by two stretchers, again the lap being a quarter each time. Notice on the drawing above how once the bond has been formed at the corner, the header sits centrally on the stretcher below it.

Now look at the drawing below, still Monk bond, but the header now sits astride the two stretchers. Both these versions can be seen in the town.

Monk Bond had its origins in mediaeval Germany but unlike most other European methods of brickwork, its appearance in this country was not to be seen until the early 19th century, but then became very popular until its use declined rapidly during the early years of this century and soon became extinct.

Most local brickmaking only produced some 60% of its output as best quality bricks, the remainder being various grades from seconds, suitable for internal use, and wasters. Now Monk bond was very economical in its use of the best bricks and allowed a greater use of the lesser quality bricks, hence much of the Victorian housing in Hadleigh is built in Flemish bond to the front elevation using most of the best bricks and Monk bond to the side and rear elevations, where the lesser quality bricks could be incorporated into the wall. How's that for some clever thinking ?

Two good and easy to see examples of this change of bond can be seen at Benton Street at the junction of Tinkers Lane; and in Queen Street, which is in Flemish bond, then Monk bond faces the church yard. Here the colour of the bricks also changes, the clay producing the white bricks was at a premium, but the reds were in abundance, hence their use on the less important side.

Many of the boundary walls of Victorian Hadleigh use Monk bond, look down Duke Street and around St. Mary’s churchyard to find this bond, also look carefully to find the two different versions of the bond.

Those with an enquiring mind may like to try and fathom out why Monk bond was more economical in its use of bricks than Flemish bond?

Flying bond and Yorkshire are two alternative names sometimes used for Monk bond.

HADLEIGH MARKET FEOFFMENT CHARITY

We are told that the new Trust Deed has been received and is now on final deposit.

It has been recognised by the Mayor in company with the Chairman of the former Trustees that this change in the Trusteeship has important historical significance in the life of the town and should be properly recognised and recorded.

It was further thought appropriate that the 550th Anniversary of the establishment of the Charity (in 1438) celebrated on the 29th October this year, should not be allowed to pass without the opportunity being afforded to pay due appreciation for the work of the Charity over five and a half centuries. It was therefore decided to provide the opportunity for the "old" Trustees to formally pass the responsibilities of the Charity to the "new" Trustees at a gathering held in the Babergh District Council Offices on the 9th December 1988.

We wish the "new" Trustees every success for the future.

NEXT SOCIETY MEETING

You will see from the attached programme for 1989 that our first speaker for the year is to be Mr Frank Grace who will be talking to us about the "changing townscape of 19 century Ipswich".

We trust you will be able to come along and join us at 8p.m. in East House on the Wednesday evening 25th JANUARY 1989 and stay on for refreshments.

"BEST WISHES TO ONE AND ALL"

Editor : Jim Betteridge Telephone : Hadleigh 823991

THE HADLEIGH SOCIETY - PROGRAMME FOR 1989

JANUARY 25th	Frank Grace on "the changing townscape of 19 century Ipswich"
MARCH 22nd	Jim Quinlan will talk on "The Grand Feoffment"
MAY 31st	Sylvia Colman to speak on the "Listing of Old Buildings"
JUNE 28th	Annual General Meeting and Social Evening
SEPTEMBER 27th	Audrey Tyerman will expound on "Gardening in the 18th cent."
NOVEMBER 22nd	Environmental Group Evening "Our Local Heritage"

All will be welcome at these meetings which are planned to start at 8 p.m. in East House George Street Hadleigh with refreshments to follow and non- Society members being asked to pay �1 per head to Society funds. We shall look forward to the pleasure of your company.