Building record DRK 025 - Hall Farm Barns, Drinkstone Hall, Drinkstone

The complex of agricultural buildings at Drinkstone Hall is a self-contained, single-build ‘model farm’ of the mid-19th century which represents a well-preserved and historically important example of its type. The farm lies immediately to the south of a medieval moat which probably marks the site of the main Domesday manor, held by the Abbot of Ely and still the centre of a substantial 287 acre tenanted estate at the time of the tithe survey in 1838. The scattered traditional farm buildings of 1838 were demolished and replaced on the same site with the present unified complex in the 1850s or possibly the 1860s. Extending to an impressive 37 metres by 42 (131 feet by 138) it consisted of a timber-framed and pantiled barn with twin porches and a continuous, skirt-like lean-to roofed with slate which extended eastwards to form a pair of sheds enclosing two cattle yards. The yards were divided by a central range containing back-to-back shelter sheds separated by an axial partition. Each of the three yard ranges terminated in a brick gable with carved, Mock-Tudor barge boards and doors to enclosed storage sheds. These ranges were unfortunately much altered during the late-20th century when they were converted into the stables of an equestrian centre, replacing the original timber-framed walls with concrete blocks, but their original layout and purpose can be established with reasonable accuracy. A circular feature which presumably represented a horse mill is shown on early maps, but no trace of this now remains. At the commencement of the present conversion work, which began prior to inspection, the complex remained among the best preserved model farms in southern Suffolk, where they are relatively rare in comparison with other parts of the country (S1).