I recently went for a nice relaxing Sunday afternoon explore with my mum and nan. They’ve lived in the area for years and guided me through a thick forest to see this place. We could’ve gone the easy way, but that passes the ground-keeper’s house – that wouldn’t have been fun.
The hall was owned by the Agnew family. I don’t know much else, other than the army took it over during WW2 when they built an air base a short distance away which sealed the fate of the Hall. It was the victim of a stray German bomb intended for the base.
The apparently 2000lb bomb exploded (landed?) in the courtyard – this destroyed the foundations of the building. Chimneys fell through the rooves. Walls fell down. And the place was in ruins.
60 years later, nature is quickly taking over. Huge trees are growing in the middle of rooms. Ivy engulfing the walls. And so on…
The Hall
It’s magnificent today. I can’t even begin to imagine it in it’s heydey. Update – see below.
Historic picture
Oh, I found this picture in an old local magazine – “The Way We Were”, jam-packed full of old photos of my area.
As you can see, only a small portion of the building on the right remains.
Other photos
A few photos from inside…
Nearby is a little clock tower. There was no visible entrance on the side I was – the other side is in someone’s garden. The time is 0105 – when the place was bombed..
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I bet this was a fantastic building before the damage. Wouldn’t you love to go back in time just to see it in its full glory !
Thank you so much for placing these photos of Rougham Hall on your website. My family, The Bennets, lived there for some years during the 1800′s. My great great Grandfather, Philip Bennet was the last to own it. I have been in contact with the current owners so I know that it is now just a ruin and from your photos a beautiful one at that. The local pub, The Bennet Arms, is named after my family which I think is great. I live in Australia so not very easy to get to Rougham to see it all. Thanks again for the photos – they are priceless to me.
I visited the ruin in 2005 after the annual Kite Festival on Rougham Airfield. I had no idea this beautiful ruin existed. My friend drove me there and then we had to wander deep into the woodland as to not be seen by the residents of the house.. we werent too sure if they would appreciate us visiting! we actually ended up finding a small iron gate leading into what must have once been a garden as the flowers there were beautiful, although very much overgrown! We then took the steps up the house and took lots of photos- although only of the outside, i was far too afraid to go inside without a hard hat! I’ve just been trying to find the photos… I’ve mislaid a few unfortunately.. but maybe I’ll go again one day.
Just stumbled across your site – very interesting.
My father used to be the chairman of the rougham council, and while doing this they organised a Rhododendron(i assume these are the pretty flowers you saw) walk through the woods. It was very popular. While there we were shown the amazing building, and have recently been back to explore again. I’m going to take some pictures of my own, along with the old gardens. there is a maze type garden hidden amongst the undergrowth, each path leads North, east, south and west, it’s well overgrown, but I’m sure this would have been spectacular in its time!
Sir John Agnew today called in the Police after acts of vandalism against Rougham Hall, If You don’t believe Me then contact Suffolk Police and ask for PC 1456 Phil Scarfe.
Encouraging people to trespass through Your website and I quote: “We could have gone the easy way, but that passes the ground keepers house – that wouldn’t have been fun” The Police now have both of Your website addresses regarding both Rougham Hall and Rougham Airfield. The former I actually live at – Your comment about the Clock Tower, “someones garden” – well that is Me and My Family. The Estate have now signposted all of the Park and ringed the Hall itself with warning signs and all because of You. I’ve spoken to PC Scarfe today who came to visit and His advice to Me was, and again I quote “If Ypu see anyone around the Hall who You do not know than dial 999 and We will come out” What You done by encouuraging People to visit without permission has caused a whole series of problems and costs, so I hope You are proud and have deep pockets.
Feel Free to e-mail Me because I’ll simply hand those to the Police too. I don’t wander round Your house, You stay away from mine. Oh and as an aside, with the cost caused if You think Sir John Agnew is going to forget this then, You are sadly mistaken. Have a nice day !!
As part of some genealogy research I have come across a Sexton family who lived near or possibly worked at Rougham Hall.There is a mention of “Battlies”. I am not familiar with the area but I think they came from Great/East Barton, Does this ring any bells. Any information would be much appreciated.
Many thanks
In response to Jean Kirby’s comment left on 7/7/7 – Jean, there is a ‘Battlies Corner’ it is the a cross roads junction situated on the ‘Mount Road’ running from Bury St Edmunds to Thurston, at the junction of East Barton Road and Mount Road, and the road which takes you into Rougham. Hope this helps.
As for the hall it is a fantastic place to visit if neverbeen before. You can only begin to imagine what it used to be like when it was alive so to speak!
Jason
Thank you for the info. I will certainly go to Rougham Hall when I visit the area next week.
This is such a magical place – pitty they have directed the footpath away from the ruin now so if you are found in the area you have no excuse – before all the footpaths were overgrown and you had to take the old Airfield road which brings you close to the ruin! Perhaps this is a good thing as it means that some irresponsible people won’t go and fall in it or get injured which would force them into pulling it down!
I am sorry Mr Mike King is so upset by all of this, but I don’t think you can blame this website. The ruin is mapped out clearly on OS maps, it is visble from google earth and a public footpath runs right through the park and up until recently was not visible and poorly signposted which led people along the road from where you can see the ruin! I am also please that the footpath has been redirected so that foolish people don’t go wandering in there, injure themselve or loot the ruin. This is a sesnible approach. Mr Mike King is very fortunate to live in such nice surroundings and being in the grounds of the ruin is just like Mr Mike King being on the path outside my small house. How very fortunate of you to live there. All the messages from this website are from people interested in histroy, their own family and intrigued as to what the hall use to be like – this culture and it should not be locked away for the few more than fortunate of us. I applaude this website – well done.
p.s. the police should have more important things other than taking people’s website addresses and e-mails over a ruin in a small wood. I am sure they are interested in vice or internet fraud.
I imagibne the stray bomb that destoyed the hall was designed to hit the many bomb stores in the wood near the hall.
I am saddened to hear that Rougham Hall has had vandals. It’s bad enough that it’s a ruin but vandalising it as well? My ancestors would have a fit if they knew!
I don’t think it has been vandalised Jane, it’s just scaremongering by an oversensitive local etc. It is a wonderful ruin and a privilege for you to be linked to it.
Thanks heaps Lisa – that’s good to know. By the way, just found footy team on the web called Bennet Arms football club – a pub and now a footy team named after us – wow! The Bennets are still in Rougham it seems!
Cheers and thanks for your kind words.
Hi Jane,
I am researching my ancestors and found 2 x John Pogsons connected with Rougham Hall and Rougham Place around 1800 – they would have been the owners before the Bennets. Do you know any details of how your forebears bought the estate? I found a lease (1886) for Rougham Place Farm in the Bury records office signed by Philip Bennet.
Hello Hugh
Thanks for the info but I know Rougham Hall belonged to the Kedington family (Philip Bennet married Jane Judith Kedington) prior to P Bennet taking it over (inherited it from his father-in-law Rev Kedington) and that was in the 1700′s. I don’t suppose you could email me a copy of the doc signed by PBennet in 1886? He was my great great Uncle. If you email me we can discuss further. Maybe your ancestors had it before the Kedingtons…..? The plot thickens.
janeandjason@bigpond.com
Hello I also have a Bennett from that area. Mary Ann Bennett who was married to henry Watts. Mary was born c 1838. Her father was William Bennett married to Sophie. Would be interesting to know if they were related!!!
Dear Mike King,
I am sorry to hear that the lovely ruins of Rougham Hall have been vandalised. I was lucky enough to be taken on a tour of the hall by the Agnews. This was a fantastic experience. I feel sorry that people will no-longer get to visit the hall. While i understand this must be a frustrating experience, I sincerely doubt that vandals have used this website to find a potential target – more likely kids from the surrounding villages have stumbled across it and had nothing better to do with their time. I feel that condemning a website for it’s historical interest is wrong. This website will most likely will stop people from visiting, as they can see the hall from photo’s rather than encouraging people to visit the site themselves, and i applaud it, and hope it continues.
hi thier does anyone have any contact for the people that live thier as i am a local model and this would make a great place for a photo shoot and i would like to ask thier permission first
thanks
Hi Lyndia
It’s best if you try the estate office as I did a couple of years ago; they then put me in touch with the gamekeeper who was more than happy to let me onto the site, however as there has been a number of trespassers I wouldn’t hold out much hope.
Brian
thankyou brian does any one know the address so i could do this thanks again
lyndia
Hi Lyndia
Just type in Rougham hall nurseries into google and it will give you the address and tel. no.
The gamekeepers name was Mike Carmody I believe.
Good luck
Brian
thank you very much i will do and thankyou to the site
v.interesting got any pictures of olf rougham people..hunts etc
hello i have been to the rougham hall its amazing. like you said its funny to look up at the fire places. i have not been in the seller yeat but will do soon. love the images you took and reports you did. well done and keep up the good work on reports
love the pic;s many thanx!!marty
I lived at Rougham Hall Bungalow from c1977-83. I remember being fascinated by the ruined hall as a little girl, and this website has brought back some memories. Thank you so much for your photos and descriptions. It is also lovely to see the picture of what the hall used to look like.
I am trying to trace my grandfather and his brother who were both born and or lived and worked on Rougham estate before the first world war are there any records of the estate workers around the 1900′s. The family surname is WILLN.
Thanking you in advance.
Gavin Willn
I have lived in the next village to where this ruin is for 20 years and any one from these parts would know they are trespassing by “exploring” them. In the past the estate have been very tolerant of people rambling through the woods off the official footpath but this has been tightened up considerably in recent years and now you will be challenged if you are found away from the marked paths.
Hi. This looks marvellous. Why is all this being hidden away from the public? It’s a beautiful historical site. Has anyone considered an archeological dig? Perhaps Time Team would be interested in this bit of war history. I think it’s a shame that some people are very begrudging about sharing this fantastic piece of local history.
Sorry to say this, but I knoe of people who have been into the ruins and removed bricks for their own personal use, so, if the owners are getting a bit pissed off with prople visiting, who can blame them, although it would be nice to have the opportunity to go and see the ruin – I’ve lived round here all my life and never been – My dad used to be a policeman around here and has told me stories about it in the past. Maybe the owners would consider opening the ruin up for a few days a year, when they can supervise the visits.
Mike King doesn’t come across very well and is making threats and scaremongering. Trespass is not a criminal offence and all any land owner can do is ask the trespasser to leave their land and only use reasonable force to encourage a departure. Why on earth would the police be interested in anyone’s emails ! The ‘aside’ regarding alleged costs is silly because the Agnew family will know monies cannot be claimed because of a harmless website and alleged trespass. Sadly Mike comes across as knowing very little. Whilst I have no intention of exploring a derelict site or going anywhere near Mike’s garden, surely no-one in their right mind would tell the world exactly where they lived for fear of reprisals caused by his vindictive comments ! No I’m not encouraging anyone and would come down hard on anyone causing criminal damage. Then he summarises with ‘have a nice day’ ! How juvenile ! Surely the Agnew legal representatives can and do represent the family better than some estate worker employed to carry out manual tasks, who has gone beyond his terms of employment and taken on matters that are beyond his competence !?!
Mike King what an ignorant dickhead you are. You are blessed with living next to a lovely piece of English history. Why not do the sensible thing and instead of making ridiculous threats, open the place up, put an honesty box. Strewth – as if there isn’t enough bad feeling in the world we don’t have to listen to this jumped up little hitler. Get a life Mike King
I think its a shame about the chap who is scaring people into not seeing the old hall. I have childhood memories of walking upto the hall with my parents and walking around the maize which was once close by. I would love to repeat history and take my young children to show them where I went and also wo show them some history. There are some miserable people in this world and my advice to you is to move far far away farom there if you do not like it!!! By the way I will visit any way and lets hope you dony bump into me.
I’m afraid I don’t know Mr King but I do know the gamekeeper Mike Carmody and have bought game from the estate as well as beer from the rougham micro brewery Bartrams run by Marc Bartram – these beers are brewed on the airfield and are award winning. I cannot comment about the ruins yet but having seen the site it won’t be too long before I take a peek.
Cheers Andrew
I lived in Rougham many years ago and was friends with the family that owned the hall, the story I heard was that the Germans were trying to get the Rothchilds at Rushbrooke but made a slight navigational error. The aged master was asleep in his bed, the bomb went through the house and exploded in the cellars,no one was hurt, but what was in the cellars?
I actually live in rougham and have done most of my life ive been to Rougham hall a few times and sadly some people have vandalised it. The last time i went i saw that the trees in the centre of the building had been removed and some of the building demolished. Shortly after arriving we were asked to leave and whilst doing so Mike showed up and he explained the problems he had because if anyone is hurt on the site I.e. bricks fall and ingure someone then the estate is liable to be sued. He did say if it was upto him he would tear the building down also which seemed barbarric. I do agree with mike about the trespassing all i can say is get permission from the Rougham Estates office. im quite surprissed the national trust have not listed it or that a private company has renovated it and turned it into a hotel or musuem along with the air base next to the estate??? But people do ask permission from the estates office
In answer to Ian Hunt’s question…they did have Hunt family photos but unfortunately the camera broke..
Jan Hunt from Oz
I was intriuged when I stubbled across rougham hall (ironically by accident!). As an enthusiast of historical houses and architechture, I was very excited but was immediatly troubled by several questions; firstly, why was this here? I expected it might have burn’t down in a fire or a bomb had hit it (I was aware that this area was bombed a lot juring the war, hence the airfield and numerous shelters, etc in the woods), but what troubled me most is why nothing was done about it; why was it not restored to its former glory, like many historical mansions have been? A keen property developer such as my self would have more than happily have taken this task on. It would be wonderful if this could happen before even more damage is inflicted on it through weathering, etc. It was a shame these decisions weren’t made and the place secured before the vandalists came. What (ignorant) person neglected this?
As to the issue of trespassing, this building in the state it is only serves best as a spectacle for the public. If I was the owner, I know I would allow this as I am aware that people are only interested in it as a place of historical beauty; suing is out of the question, as a court trial would blame the incident on the resposibility of the accused, not the owner.
In a more moral world, one would have more freedom, I believe selfish land owners would not steal the right of individuals to experience these wonders; the public should be allowed to do so; a simple fence around the building at least will significantly reduce any problems raised concerning the hall.
On the issue of vandalism, at this stage, what much more is there to vandalise/ steal anyway?
Maybe the real owner of this hall, sir John Agnew should consider what i have written, with no assistence from our fellow, cynic, Mike King who, as not the real owner of this hall, is an insignificant contributor to our debate.
I hope the majority of the public will support me in my views.
Thanks, Rob
As a cousin of John Agnew and someone who saw Rougham as a child I am appalled that people would consider vandalising such a magnificent home and if it were left up to me I would make it very difficult for anyone to trespass on its hallowed grounds again.
Sarita Cooke
has no one heard the curse of rougham hall?
tell me more about this curse,I was there last year and im not feeling very well. In fact i’ve just been admitted to hospital in an isolation unit – please help me
my husband died this year suddenly at the age of 56 – and he camped out at Rougham last summer. Please help me
Re Ian Hunt and Jan Hunt (March 2009) from Oz questions on photos, some of the Hunts are my relatives so have a few. Does anyone know if there any records re shepherds etc. – my Grandfther was one.
Researching a talk on my life I stumbled on this site. I was brought up by my grandparents in Rougham Hall Bungalow from aged 3 months to 7 years 1949-57 and have vague very fond memories of it and the Hall. I did drive through the estate quite recently to see the old place and nothing seems to have changed – how nice in this modern world. If someone could post a photo of the bungalow on this site I would be very grateful.
im liking the fake curse storys. notice how they all appear at 10pm on the same day.
l lived in the area during the mid 80s. Had a look around the ruins a few times.
If Mike is the same gamekeeper, he must be about 80…
Goodness, what a kerfuffle. I have just come across the Rougham Hall websit as, like Hugh Rose earlier, we share Pogson ancestors who occupied Rougham Hall in the late 1700 and early 1800. They were plantation owners on ST Kitts and this was their English base. Nowhere in the above, does anybody mention who built Rougham Hall or when. I would dearly love to stand in the grounds drinking in the ruins & feel the vibes that are apart of my history too but Mr King will be delighted to know that this is no longer possible for me.Please stop and think for a minute you vandals and leave the Hall to rest in peace in peace.
Jenny H.