Farmstead record ASG 033 - Farmstead: Rookery Farm

Rookery Farm. 17th century farmstead and 17th century farmhouse. Loose courtyard three-sided plan formed by working agricultural buildings with additional detached elements. The farmhouse is set away from the yard. Significant loss (over 50%) of the traditional farm buildings. Located within a loose farmhouse cluster (S1-6).

The site consists of a grade II-listed timber-framed and rendered farmhouse dated by Historic England to the early-17th century with a separately grade II-listed timber-framed and weatherboarded barn in close proximity to the north-east. This barn is an impressive early-17th century structure of four bays with a number of significant historic features which is shown as part of an extensive yard complex that no longer survives on the tithe map of 1846. At the time of the enclosure survey in 1814 it was a more isolated T-shaped structure that appears to have extended further west towards the farmhouse. The present western bay is an early-19th century replacement that is consistent with the truncation of the 17th century frame soon afterwards, but the remaining structure forms a traditional open threshing barn of three bays with evidence of a separate single-bay stable on the east. The threshing bay was entered from the south as today and was open to the stables hay loft which was lit by a gable window above the tie-beam. This loft and the internal partition have been removed but the stable's rear wall retains the lintel of a small aperture that may represent a manure hatch or possibly a calf-creep (if the stable was instead designed as a cattle shed). Both features are common in 19th century farm buildings but there are few if any parallels in the 17th century. The structure boasts a particularly impressive clasped-purlin roof retaining most if its wind braces and an unusual pair of original raking queen struts confined to the central truss. The walls were originally rendered externally, but contain externally trenched braces that would have been visible internally. Early in the 20th century a large lean-to shed of Fletton brick with Mock Gothic arched windows was added to the northern wall, and the thatch was replaced with corrugated iron. A further extensive restoration of 1985 saw the renewal of the weatherboarding along with most of the timbers in the front wall, destroying any evidence of the stable's entrance (S7).

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.