A Grade II*-listed Queen Anne home that was once the pub where Sir Alfred Munnings propped up the bar
Described by Pevsner as ‘a most handsome house’, the Dukes Head was previously a coaching inn. It's now a wonderful family home.


Previously known as High Shottisham Old Hall with renowned 18th-century surgeon Benjamin Gooch as an early occupant, Grade II*-listed Dukes Head at Shotesham All Saints, six miles south of Norwich, is a charming Queen Anne house with impeccable medical credentials, now on the market with Will Mullan of Strutt & Parker at a guide price of £1.375m.
Gooch ran the Shotesham Cottage Hospital, the first of its kind in England. He studied at the London schools and hospitals, returning to Norfolk to be apprenticed to Robert Bransby, a GP at Hapton. Later, they both moved to Shotesham and, on Bransby’s death in 1748, Gooch succeeded to the practice.
Some time later, Gooch became friendly with William Fellowes, the philanthropic squire of Shotesham, and together they established the cottage hospital for the benefit of the sick and needy of the neighbourhood. Gooch honed his surgical skills there and, in 1771, Fellowes asked him to help found the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.
In the 1890s, the Old Hall became a coaching inn owned by the Fellowes family, who renamed it Dukes Head.
A regular haunt of the artist Sir Alfred Munnings, it reverted to private ownership in 1920 and to medical ownership in 1948, when it was bought by Dr Kenneth Latter, a Norwich physician.
Described by Pevsner as ‘a most handsome house’, Dukes Head was built in the classic Queen Anne style in 1712, of brick with casement leaded windows, curved Dutch gables and a pantile roof; the earlier, rear part of the house dates from the 16th and 17th centuries. It enjoys south-westerly views over the surrounding countryside and the southern end of Shotesham Common.
Carefully maintained by its current owners, who have retained much of its original character, Dukes Head offers generously proportioned reception rooms and seven spacious bedrooms.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
To the rear of the house are a triple garage, a two-bedroom converted barn, an outdoor heated swimming pool, hard tennis court, summer house and beautifully tended formal and informal gardens.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
Spectacular Scottish castles and estates for sale
A look at the finest castles, country houses and estates for sale in Scotland today.
-
No roads, no cars, no problem: Norman Foster and Porsche collaborate on transportation hub in Venice
There are famously no roads in the Italian city of Venice, but that hasn't stopped Porsche from co-designing a transportation hub in time for the Architecture Biennale.
By Chris Hall Published
-
London is a happy city, but not the happiest city, according to new research
It is, however, a very romantic city, according to different research. So that's good.
By James Fisher Published
-
London is a happy city, but not the happiest city, according to new research
It is, however, a very romantic city, according to different research. So that's good.
By James Fisher Published
-
Swim above the competition in London's highest outdoor pool
The new Shard Place development is the latest amenity-filled addition to the Shard Quarter
By James Fisher Published
-
Business at the front, party at the rear: Ravensbury Lodge in Devon, a four-bed conversion on the market with stunning views of the River Dart
The house in Warfleet, Dartmouth, is a waterside property with a twist — and its contrasting architectural elements are a delightful surprise.
By Lotte Brundle Published
-
Laverstoke Park, the iconic home of Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter, roars onto the market
The benchmark for the sale of the year has been set.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
No Mr Bond, we expect you to buy: Sean Connery's former villa on the French Riviera could be yours
Roc Fleuri Villa 'must be Nice's most desirable home', according to the agents.
By Lotte Brundle Last updated
-
Five Cotswold dream homes on the market from £3m to £18m, as seen in Country Life
This week we have a Cotswolds-themed rundown of some of the finest homes to come to the market in this beautiful part of England.
By Toby Keel Published
-
A modern masterpiece for sale in Cornwall that's just one mile from the beach
Hay House combines location, elegance and modern family living to create a special home for the 21st century.
By James Fisher Published
-
A rollercoaster, Bauhaus department store and Brutalist football stand top the latest Buildings at Risk List
The latest Buildings at Risk List from the Twentieth Century Society has been announced. Sunwin House department store and Blackpool’s Grand National Rollercoaster both feature.
By Jack Watkins Published