Langham Hall

The Hall was designed by Rev. Stephen Frost Rippingall and built in 1819 for his father, Thomas Rippingall. When Thomas died in 1834 his only surviving son, Stephen, came to live there. He had been a curate at Runton; he married the daughter of the rector and they had twelve children. In 1856 the house was occupied by Charles Rippingall, who then became the Lord of the Manor.

Stephen Frost Rippingall died in 1858, whereupon the Hall and its estate passed to his son William. He farmed there until his death in 1880, when it was bequeathed to his eldest surviving daughter, Horatia. As Lady of the Manor she lived there with her sisters, active benefactresses in the village.

In 1910 she sold the Hall to Carlos E Ryder. In 1916 he bought the Manor House at Binham and his son, Frederick Budd Ryder, took up residence.

In the Second World War the Hall was requisitioned by the RAF as a Casualty Reception Station: some of the less reverent and more active patients amused themselves by shooting at the church clock.

The Orangery

Since then there has been a succession of owners, including Mr M H Armistead, headmaster of a private school in Walsingham: he sold the Hall to Mr R M Peel in 1974 for approximately £55,000. The last-but-one owner was Mr Tony Burlingham, the proprietor of MJB Hotels.

This review seems fairly typical for an MJB hotel. Mr Burlingham himself has also been in the news now and then. The website for ‘MJB Langham Hall Apartments’ is still up and tells us that the ‘3-star Langham Hall Langham lies approximately 2.4 miles away from Blakeney Conservation Duck Pond Animal Park’.

The Hall was recently on the market for £1.95 million and has been purchased by the Cutmore-Scott family to incorporate with their adjoining hotel, The Harper. At present they are refurbishing – or should one say rescuing? – the old girl. There is a great deal to be done to bring her up to standard, but in time she will once again be an asset the village can be proud of.

The North Street entrance