Melton Constable Hall

Melton Constable Hall stands in the parish of Melton Constable, Norfolk. It is a large country house built between 1664 and 1670 for the Astley family, who owned the estate from 1235 until 1948. The house was designed in the Christopher Wren style and has an Elizabethan core. It was remodelled and extended by Sir Jacob Astley between 1664 and 1670. The house is constructed of brick with slate and copper roofs and has a nine-bay frontage. The hall is regarded as the finest specimen of the Christopher Wren style of house. It features fine plaster ceilings dated 1687, probably fashioned by Edward Goudge. The main range is Grade I listed, and the north wing is Grade II* listed. The stable buildings are variously Grade II and Grade II* listed. The hall has been used as a filming location for award-winning films such as The Go Between and Revolution. Melton Constable Park was designed by Capability Brown in 1764–69. The park includes a church, a temple, and various artistic follies. St Peter’s Church is small and unusual, containing Norman work and many memorials to the Astley family. North of the church and the hall stands a tower known as Belle Vue, which offers a view of Norwich and the sea. The tower was originally a smock-mill built in 1721 and later converted into a brick tower around 1775.