Farmstead record RKN 039 - Farmstead: West Hall Farm

West Hall Farm lies in open countryside in the parish of Rickinghall Inferior approximately 2 km south-west of Rickinghall village. The farmhouse is a grade II-listed timber-framed structure of the 17th century which appears to occupy the north-western corner of a large rectangular medieval enclosure. At the time of the tithe survey in 1839 the property was a substantial tenanted farm of 306.5 acres owned by the Redgrave Hall estate of the Wilson family. The present barn is a substantial timber-framed and weatherboarded structure of the mid-19th century which is not shown on the tithe map. It consists largely of re-used timber that may have derived from a 17th century or earlier barn. The building formed part of a new 'model' farm complex with a series of enclosed animal yards of which no trace survives against its western elevation. The main range contained a five-bay open barn with twin threshing floors to the south and a two-bay stable and hay loft to the north. An integral lean-to against the eastern elevation was divided into five sheds. The stable possessed a central cross-entry with the animals stalled against the internal gables and still retains its two boarded mangers and several harness hooks in the tack room. The building is of local historic interest as it illustrates the sophisticated nature of the many new farm complexes associated with High Victorian Farming in the 1860s and 1870s but has been too extensively altered to merit listing in its own right (S1).

West Hall Farm, Rickinghall Inferior. 19th century farmstead and 17th century farmhouse. Dispersed multi-yard plan formed by working agricultural buildings. The farmhouse is set away from the yard. Significant loss (over 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.