Farmstead record CUP 027 - Farmstead: Abbey Farm

Abbey Farm lies in open, arable countryside approximately 350 m north-west of Culpho parish church. The farmhouse is a grade II Listed, early-17th century building which occupies an exceptionally large and well-preserved moat of 1.4 acres. The parish did not possess an abbey but its church and one of its two manors belonged to Leiston Abbey.
Early 17th C barn with 19th C alterations & extension; late 16th/ early 17th C single bay structure; early 19th C barn - altered late 19th C; early 19th C stable & structure with late 19th C granary above original ceiling; 2 mid 19th C shelter-sheds, 1 ...
The agricultural buildings flank the entrance to the moat and form a large mid-19th century complex of red-brick cattle yards and sheds with an early-19th century timber-framed and weatherboarded range to the rear. At over 46 metres or 150 feet this range is of exceptional length and incorporates a barn with two threshing floors and a single-storied stable and granary to the east. The western end of the barn towards the moat incorporates four early-17th century bays that originally formed a smaller barn of three bays which faced the entrance to the moat. This adjoins an unusual single-bay structure of similar or slightly earlier origin and was extended to form a barn of 9 bays with two threshing floors in circa 1820. The 17th century structures are contemporary with the present farmhouse but probably reflect a much older layout and may occupy the position of 13th or 14th century agricultural buildings which formed part of a gated 'base court' through which the moat was approached. They are accordingly of considerable historic significance, but have probably been too heavily altered to meet the strict English Heritage criteria for Listing.

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.