David Harris, Introduction and Tour of Little Hall

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David Harris was a guide for many years at Little Hall as well as a trustee with SBPT, especially guiding groups. He stopped guiding in 2014 and died in 2021 aged 93.

In 2012 Mike Hodges of Lavenham Photographic filmed David. One film was an introduction and tour, lasting 43 minutes. To make this a more flexible resource we have broken it into 20 segments, each covering a particular topic or room, as you will find below. In its current arrangement it is primarily a resource for today’s guides as a sort of masterclass.

With ongoing research we discover more. David’s account generally aligns with our current views but if anyone finds otherwise please let us know and it will be noted.

The clips below been split according to the sound track so, confusingly, you’ll often find the faded image of the adjacent clip as the opening image. Use the captions to identify the clip you want.

1. Little Hall and the rise of the Lavenham cloth industry
2. Little Hall home improvements and extensions
3. Rise and fall of the cloth industry, Little Hall tenements
4. The Gayer Andersons
5. The crests of Anderson and Gayer, the Lion story
6. The Della Robias
7. The Garden
8. The House numbers
9. The Dormitory
10. The Evacuees
11. More on the Dormitory
12. The Solar
13. The Landing and Stairs
14. The Buttery – then Library
15. The Inner Hall
16. North Wing: The Colonel’s bedroom
17. The Panelled Room
18. The Well Room
19. The Pasha’s Staircase
20. The Dining Room