About Letton Hall
Letton Hall Trust
Letton Hall was purchased in the late 70’s by Peter Carroll for use as a Christian Conference Centre and was established as a charity in 1980.
The Letton Hall Trust now owns and manages the property and ministry of Letton Hall. Our Trustees come from various walks of life and serve voluntarily to oversee the direction and values of the trust.
Team
Letton Hall is managed by the resident Centre Manager, Jon, supported by an excellent staff team who take care of the facilities and ensure that they are always ready and prepared for guests. We have a regular group of dedicated volunteers who keep the gardens and grounds looking good all year round.
Centre Manager
Jon
Operations & Events Manager
Gill
Housekeeping Team
Catherine, Emma, Josiah
Maintenance Team
Michael, David, Josiah
History
Built between 1783 and 1789, Letton Hall was once the home of the Gurdon family and was the first domestic commission of the famous architect Sir John Soane.
It’s Georgian splendour makes it a significant landmark in the Mid-Norfolk Countryside.
Sir John Soane built only eighteen complete country houses, mainly between the years of 1780-1800, so each house reveals something to us of how his distinctive style developed. Although he also re-modelled several other grand houses and went on to become the architect for the Bank of England, Letton Hall marks a relatively modest early season in Soane’s extraordinary career.
A large villa, rather than a vast stately home, Letton Hall was the family home of Brampton Gurdon Dillingham and his descendants. The house was designed in 1783 in Soane’s typical manner, involving lengthy discussions with the owner to establish the final plans. It was completed over the next few years once Soane had convinced Dillingham to demolish, rather than alter, the existing Old Hall which he had inherited that year.
Over the next 130 years, five generations of the Gurdon family lived at Letton Hall including Robert Thornagh Gurdon who inherited the estate in 1881. Soon after this, he commissioned the Norfolk Architect Edward Boardman for an extensive phase of building and development, including a remodelling of the gardens. Much of this work survives, notably the Clock Tower in the Stables and the Summerhouse at the heart of the remodelled garden. Visitors can still see the initials RTG on the weather vane of the Clock Tower and the wall of the Summerhouse.
Robert Thornagh Gurdon was a successful man in many areas of his life. He was appointed as the first Chairman of Norfolk County Council and created First Baron Cranworth in 1899. His son Bertram Francis Gurdon inherited the estate at the age of 25 and conducted further alterations including the extension of the library to create a billiard room! He lived with his family at Letton Hall for a little more than ten years before putting the property and estate up for auction and moving to his estates near Woodbridge, Suffolk, thus ending the ownership of the Gurdons.
In 1914 Mr Arthur Gordon, a 37 year old Scottish bachelor, purchased the Hall, although he was not there often until after the First World War. He too made improvements, mainly in the area of heating and water supply – a task we continue today – but also in the grounds and the running of the estate. Gordon married a 30 year old French woman, Marie Josephine Webber, in 1937 and they lived for a while at The Hall until the impact of the Second World War grew and The Hall was requisitioned by the army. The Gordons moved out to Red House, Southburgh and, when they no longer wished to return to Letton Hall, it was once more put up for sale.
George Eglington (as he was known) bought the estate in 1944 and, though it was in a poor state then, developed it over 30 years into a very successful agricultural venture noted for breeding Welsh Pigs and Polled Friesian Cattle. SS Eglington Ltd. still farm the remainder of the estate, but after George Eglington’s death the family vacated the hall and it was once more sold.
In 1979 Peter Carroll bought Letton Hall and the surrounding ten acres of gardens and woodland with the intention of creating a conference and activity centre and moved in with his wife Mary and their family. They established a Charitable Trust and a new phase of The Letton Hall story was begun. Sadly Mary died just six months after their arrival at Letton a tragedy that could have stopped the fledgling work in its tracks. However, with a great deal of support from friends, supporters and Trustees Peter continued to develop The Hall and Stables as venues for Christian groups, schools and others to come away. He married Kay two years later and they, together with a growing family, lived and worked at Letton Hall for many years assisted by an excellent team of Trustees and many different volunteers and members of staff.
In 2008 the Letton Hall Trust purchased the Hall and continue to run the conference centre, which sees thousands of people, young and old, visit Letton for times of encouragement, rest, fellowship and spiritual refreshment.
This page offers just a brief overview of the history of Letton Hall. For a much more comprehensive history, we recommend Peter Carroll’s fascinating book ‘Lives and Loves of Letton Hall’ is available from Letton Hall, contact us to order a copy (£5.00 + p&p).
CURRENT VACANCIES
Weekend Hosts
Are you available to work one weekend in four or one weekend in six?
If so there may be an opportunity for you at Letton Hall.
Pay : £200/weekend
2.00p.m Friday to 5.00p.m. Sunday
Accommodation at Letton Hall for Friday and Saturday nights
Accountable to the Centre Manager
Letton Hall is a Grade II* listed building and was the first domestic commission of the architect Sir John
Soane. It was built between 1783 and 1789 and is a significant landmark in the mid-Norfolk countryside.
For many years Letton Hall was a family home and the heart of a farming estate, it was purchased in the
1970’s for use as a Christian Conference Centre and it is now owned and managed by the Letton Hall
Trust.
We are looking for Weekend hosts to support the management team in delivering excellent customer service to our weekend guests.
This job will suit dynamic and well organised individuals who are able to prioritise and manage a varied
workload.
The job will involve:
● Welcoming guests on Friday and dealing with settling-in issues
● Welcome kitchen team (self-catering weekends) and orientate them with kitchen operations
● Liaising with the group leaders throughout the weekend on a regular basis to ensure everything is
working smoothly
● Being on call throughout the weekend to respond to request by group leaders (such as replacing
consumables and temperature control)
● Liaise with Duty Manager via dedicated phone in response to emergency situations
● Opening and running the shop at agreed times
● Locking and securing building at night
● Confirming guest numbers for Office Administrator to process and invoice
● Process non bed linen items through on site laundry (such as shower mats, tea towels and cleaning
cloths)
● Following departure of guests check, close down and lock up building
It is expected that the individual(s) will remain on site at Letton Hall throughout the duty weekend.
Accommodation will consist of a small flat comprising a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and lounge with TV.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate a commitment to our Christian ethos, working principles and vision.
Basis of Faith of the Evangelical Alliance
The Letton Hall Trust affirms the Evangelical Alliance Statement of Faith. We ask all candidates to confirm
that they hold beliefs that fall within these statements.
For further information please contact
Jon Horrox
Tel 01362 820717
Email jon@lettonhall.org
Catering Team Casual Staff
We are looking for confident, friendly, outgoing people aged 16 or over to join our Catering Team at Letton Hall
This is a casual job opportunity to cover various events we have throughout the year
The role would include the following
Front of House service – working in the dining room serving meals and clearing tables
Setting up and clearing down the dining room
Washing up
Includes both mid week and weekend shifts
Hospitality or customer service experience would be an advantage but not necessary as full training would be given.
There are no public transport routes to Letton Hall, so you would need to have your own vehicle or alternative means of transport.
If this is you please contact
Gill
Tel : 01362 820717 or email careers@lettonhall.org
We look forward to hearing from you
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