Farmstead record FSF 069 - Farmstead: Ufford Hall

Ufford Hall lies 3 km south-east of Fressingfield village. It occupies the site of a medieval manor and the present house is of the 15/16th century and grade II* listed. The site is of special interest as the childhood and subsequently retirement home of Dr William Sancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury who attended King Charles II on his death bed and crowned James II. The large timber-framed, weatherboarded barn (c.1620) lies north-east of the house and is grade II listed. In the 17th century it would have formed part of a courtyard in front of the house. The nine bay frame includes two stables with hay lofts at both ends of the five bay barn. The southern stable was probably added c.1600 to a medieval barn which was subsequently rebuilt on the same site, re-using timber. The threshing barn has full-height doors to the east, where it now adjoins a late-20th century porch, and contained a small rear door in its western elevationt. Its original thatch has been replaced but in all other respects the structure remains exceptionally intact with a full complement of arch-braces to its tie-beams and a complete arcade of decorative wind-braces to the clasped-purlins of its roof. A series of sharply cranked raking queen-struts links the tie-beams to the principal rafters in a visually striking manner. These various features create a highly impressive interior. The survival of stables and lofts at both ends is of particular historic interest, representing a typical East Anglian combination rarely found elsewhere.

2011: A building survey was carried out prior to the conversion of a barn. The large timber-framed, weatherboarded barn (c.1620) lies north-east of the house and is grade II listed. In the 17th century it would have formed part of a courtyard in front of the house. The nine bay frame includes two stables with hay lofts at both ends of the five bay barn. The southern stable was probably added c.1600 to a medieval barn which was subsequently rebuilt on the same site, re-using timber. The threshing barn has full-height doors to the east, where it now adjoins a late-20th century porch, and contained a small rear door in its western elevationt. Its original thatch has been replaced but in all other respects the structure remains exceptionally intact with a full complement of arch-braces to its tie-beams and a complete arcade of decorative wind-braces to the clasped-purlins of its roof. A series of sharply cranked raking queen-struts links the tie-beams to the principal rafters in a visually striking manner. These various features create a highly impressive interior. The survival of stables and lofts at both ends is of particular historic interest, representing a typical East Anglian combination rarely found elsewhere. (S1).

2013: An archaeological monitoring was carried out within an early post-medieval barn just to the north of Ufford Hall, in Fressingfield, Suffolk. This revealed ditches and a posthole, and a 15th-16th century pit containing pottery, which all pre-dated the barn. Clay floor layers and cart ruts were also recorded within the building, as was a series of postholes and a horse skull burial, thought to demonstrate the barn's conversion to a stable. The archaeological deposits appeared to be well preserved (S2).

Ufford Hall, Fressingfield. 17th century farmstead and 16th century manor farmhouse with converted buildings. Regular courtyard multi-yard plan formed by working agricultural buildings. The farmhouse is set away from the yard. Significant loss (over 50%) of the traditional farm buildings. Located within an isolated position (S3-8).

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.