Farmstead record BRH 067 - Farmstead: Chestnut Farm

The site consists of a complex of farm buildings to the north of a Grade II listed former farmhouse dated to the late 16th century, with a separately listed thatched granary of circa 1800 between the two. The farm buildings are of special historic significance as they illustrate the agricultural developments of three distinct periods. The timber-framed and weatherboarded threshing barn of five bays is an unsually tall and well preserved example of its kind which is almost complete apart from its slate roof. It reflects the agricultural wealth of the early 17th century which saw many Suffolk barns and farmhouses rebuilt to the highest standards of their day. Of particular interest is the evidence of an integral rear porch at a time when such features were a new development. The barn's western gable is adjoined by two timber framed and weatherboarded sheds with thatched roofs that both date from the early 19th century. The larger of the two is likely to have been designed as a stable and the other, which possesses a unique aisled bay of just 1.25m in height, is extraordinarily small and was probably a cow-house. Small thatched buildings such as these are notoriously rare survivors; they are both highly pictureque but also offer important historical context for the adjacent listed granary. All three fored part of a major 'Napoleonic' refurbishment of the site, stimulated by the high grain prices of the French wares, which inlcuded the application of red ochre to the external weatherboarding and the use of rtare shuttered clay rather than clay-lump. These buildings have remained broadly unaltered since they were depicted on the tihe map of 1840. The red brick and slate sheds of the 1860s to the north of the barn are also typical of their period, illustrating the semi-local nature if Victorian High Farming. The farm is also significant as an example of a complete early 19th century linear farmstead (S1).

Chestnut Farm (Unknown), Barham. 19th century farmstead and 16th century farmhouse with converted buildings. Regular courtyard U-shaped plan formed by working agricultural buildings. The farmhouse is set away from the yard. The farmstead is extant. Located within a hamlet (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.