Farmstead record WLW 098 - Farmstead: Proctor's Barn

The barn is an unusual multi-phased timber-framed structure. It consists of four bays with a roof of glazed pantiles and the remains of tarred weatherboarding beneath its present external cladding of corrugated iron.

The two bays to the east date to the 17th C and likely formed a neathouse (cow shed) with a narrow doorway to the south, and an internal partition. Isolated buildings of this type from this period are very rare. It only survived due to its conversion into a barn in the 18th C by adding to further bays of greater height and width to the W. The 2 structures were re-roofed in the 19th C when the 17th C walls were raised and a new cattle yard was added to the south.

Proctor's Barn, Walsham-le-Willows. 17th century farmstead and 19th century farmhouse with converted buildings. Regular courtyard U-shaped plan formed by working agricultural buildings. The farmhouse is set away from the yard. Partial loss (less than 50%) of the traditional farm buildings. Located within an isolated position (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.