Farmstead record EDN 109 - Farmstead: Lynn's Hall

Lynn's Hall is a farmstead visible on the 1st Ed Os map. The farmstead is laid out in a regular multiyard courtyard with L-plan elements. The farmhouse is detached and set away from the yard. The farmstead sits alongside a public road in a hamlet location. There has been a partial loss of working buildings with some of the remaining appearing to have fallen into disuse. (1-4)

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.

A fine and quite complete single phase minor manor house constructed in the 1570s. It is likley to have been a tenant farm probably by the Appleton family who were Lords of the Manor of Holbrook Hall in Little Waldingfield and were wealthy clothiers. Significant phases of alteration to the parlour wing date from the 1800s and 1840s. The report includes an historical report by Dr Joanna Martin. Lynn's Hall has plastered walls and a plaintiled roof, and derives its character largely from major refurbishments of c.I800 and c.1840. However, the external changes conceal a good quality timber-frame of c.1570.tiebeams and binding beams. The chimneystack on the east wall was probably rebuilt c.1800, possibly with some reused bricks. It is probably on the site of the previous 16th century parlour chimney. Both the hall range and the cross-wing have very plain windbraced clasped-purlin roofs compatible with a date of c.1570, although the front of the cross-wing roof has been altered greatly. The south elevation towards the road was built with a continuous long-wall jetty including the cross-wing. The plastered upper wall is stopped at a coverboard at first floor level.The relationship between the backhouse and the main range is basically corner-to-corner, but with an overlap of about 1.5 metres. The jettied east elevation of the backhouse continues into the overlap, making a crude junction with the house. The backhouse was probably built first, and its east elevation was on display. It would have been associated with an earlier house which would have stood in a slightly different position. The current Lynn's Hall was probably built by the same carpenter as the backhouse, and very soon afterwards. (S5, S6)