Farmstead record BRM 015 - Farmstead: Church Farm

A historic building record was made of farm buildings at Church Farm in advance of conversion. The timber-framed barn is a well-preserved 16th century threshing barn with evidence of an integral stable and which retains its original roof, and is worthy of listing at grade II. The barn originated as a mid 16th century three bay threshing barn, which was extended by two bays to the SE in the early 17th century, with the addition of a gabled porch in the early 19th century. The high quality framing of the barn, dating to the mid-late 16th century, suggests it may be contemporary with the rebuilding of Brome Hall by the Cornwallis family in c.1560 and the barn may be the only surviving structure from this period. Adjoining structures of later date indicate an expansion of the holding during the late 18th-early 19th centuries, but have been heavily altered (S1).

Church Farm, Brome. 16th century farmstead and 19th century farmhouse. Regular courtyard full 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 a church and manor farm group (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.