Houghton Hall was built by William Holles and his son William Holles (MP). The park of 240 acres was enclosed in 1509 and the small house was greatly extended. Gervase Holles reported that the hall contained a shield inscribed W.H. A.D. 1545. The park was later extended to 900 acres.
^Blagg, Thomas (1931). "Houghton Hall". Transactions of the Thoroton Society. 35.
^Waldron, Francis Godolphin; Harding, Sylvester; Harding, Edward (1795). The biographical mirrour: comprising a series of ancient and modern English portraits, of eminent and distinguished persons, from original pictures and drawings, Volume 1. S. and E. Harding. p. 23.