Farmstead record GFD 050 - Farmstead: Lodge Farm

The farmhouse lay to the south of the site, close to an unusually large rectangular pond which still survives, but was demolished between 1902 and 1924. The barn adjoining the unmade road to the north is a large and imposing timber-framed and weatherboarded structure with a tiled roof and twin northern porches that originally served a pair of brick threshing floors. Given its prominent location it represents a highly conspicuous feature of the local landscape. Probably dating from the 1820s it illustrates the cereal boom of that period and would have been newly built when depicted with its distinctive porches on the 1841 tithe map. It extends to 27.3 m in length (89.5 ft) and remains largely intact, with an original clasped-purlin roof containing bolted-knee braces and nailed collars in a manner rarely found before the second quarter of the 19th century. The eastern porch retains a section of brick threshing floor, although the rest has been replaced by concrete and the tall entrance doors in the southern elevation have been blocked (leaving their lintels and jambs in situ). The building’s historic interest is increased by the presence of copious re-used timber, including moulded Tudor ceiling joists and a section of tenter frame with a row of tenter hooks reflecting the importance of the woollen cloth industry to the region during the 15th and 16th centuries. The interior contained a series of mid-20th century grain silos at the time of inspection, along with a corn dresser by Turners of Ipswich. Two lean-to sheds were built against the porches during the 20th century with a covered cattle yard of cement blocks to the south. Of the various other farm buildings shown on 19th century maps only a long, single-stored brick shed has escaped demolition. This appears to have contained a stable to the north, linked by a brick wall to the corner of the barn, with a cow shed to the south (S1).

Lodge Farm, Glemsford. 19th century farmstead and farmhouse. Regular courtyard E-shaped plan formed by working agricultural buildings. The farmhouse is facing side on to 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.