Norman House Chimney - Castle Street, Christchurch, Hampshire, UK
Posted by: 
Dragontree
N 50° 44.030 W 001° 46.435
30U E 586523 N 5620943
This unique Norman chimney is an important, historical one.
Waymark Code: WM786Z
Location: Southern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 09/17/2009
Views: 8
The chimney lies on the Norman House which is part of the historic, ruined site of Christchurch Castle.
English Heritage explains further:
'The Norman House, constructed in about 1160, provided elegant and comfortable domestic quarters for the lord of Christchurch.
In Norman times, ordinary domestic buildings were built of timber, and so have not survived. The Norman house, part of the home of an important lord, was high-status and therefore built of stone. It is one of the few remaining examples of Norman domestic architecture in England.
Warmed by the large fireplace, the chamber on the first floor was perhaps used for entertaining the lord's most important guests. At one end of the hall, there is an elaborately decorated window. Several English kings, including King John, are known to have stayed and dined at Christchurch.
A passageway, accessed by an external staircase, divided the chamber from a private bed-chamber, which had a latrine emptying into the adjacent mill stream. The ground floor was a storage room.
The east wall, nearest to the river, is thicker as it served as the defensive curtain wall of the castle. All the doors and windows on this exposed side had draw-bars in case of attack.
Later in the history of the castle, this building became the home of the lord's constable or bailiff.'
As the Norman House is one of the most important examples in England the chimney is very rare.
Private or Public Property?: Public
What material is it made from?: Stone
When was it made?: 01/01/1160
Estimated Height of chimney (please include whether metres or feet): 5ft from the top of the building
Type of building e.g. house, hotel etc: House
How do you rate it?: 
Website with further information: [Web Link]
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