Farmstead record SLD 001 - Farmstead: Rockylls Hall

Rockylls Hall occupies the site of a former medieval manor and is listed Grade II, along with the stable in the farmyard.

A small, single storied shed immediately behind the house is a remarkable building of 18th/19th C, with no direct parallel in the authors experience. It consists of 4 small, unlit compartments, each 4mx2.4m/A. 2 of these compartments were further divided, and the other 2 provided a ceiling and loft. The structure contains an unusually small boarded manger, with evidence of a second. The present tarred weatherboarding is secondary, but areas of original butt-jointed boarding with rare red-ochre pigment survive within 2 19th C lean-to additions. The building was probably designed as a range of pig sties, and is an exceptionally early example of its type.

Mid-19th C cattle yard found to the N-E of the house, including a range of open sided shelter sheds of standard type. Other buildings not inspected (S1).

Rockylls Hall, Shelland. 18th century farmstead and 17th century farmhouse. Regular courtyard E-shaped plan formed by working agricultural buildings with additional detached elements. The farmhouse is set away from the yard. Significant loss (over 50%) of the traditional farm buildings. Located within a hamle (S2-7).

Recorded as part of the Farmsteads in the Suffolk Countryside Project. This is a purely desk-based study and no site visits were undertaken. These records are not intended to be a definitive assessment of these buildings. Dating reflects their presence at a point in time on historic maps and there is potential for earlier origins to buildings and farmsteads. This project highlights a potential need for a more in depth field study of farmstead to gather more specific age data.