The Inner Gatehouse

The inner gatehouse as it appeared in the mid-15th century. Drawing by Jill Atherton. 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 Heydon family coat of arms at Baconsthorpe 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.

View of the inner gatehouse, curtain wall and moat from the west. The gatehouse had two lodges housing a porter and a chief servant. Above there was a spacious suite of chambers for the lord and his family.

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.