Farmstead record WGD 032 - Farmstead: Saviours Barn

Saviours Barn adjoins open countryside on the western edge of Wingfield Green. The timber-framed and weatherboarded barn lies at the northern end of a possibly ancient rectangular ditched enclosure which contains several varied buildings, including a remarkable grade II-listed mausoleum of 1840 in which the then owner of the site, Absalom Feavearyear, was interred. The house on the site was demolished in the 1950s, and the mausoleum is now suffering major structural damage. The barn is a typical three-bay mid-Victorian structure of modest proportions, as befitted the associated holding of 9.5 acres, with a pantiled clasped-purlin roof incorporating much softwood and re-used timber which was first shown on the Ordnance Survey of 1882. The barn's original fabric survives largely intact but its weatherboarding has been renewed and its utilitarian carpentry displays little of the craft tradition found in earlier timber-framed structures; its chief historic interest derives from its proximity to (and historic association with) the mausoleum. The eastern bay is divided to form a stable with a loft, and, unusually, the entire floor of the two western bays consists of large stone flags of up to 7 feet by 4 in size. These flags presumably represent Feavearyear's unused stock, and may preserve inscriptions to their undersides. The deal boards of the internal partition also preserve a series of highly unusual incised images, including a remarkable paddle steamer with twin funnels and fully rigged sails, together with dates in the 1880s and 1890s and a fine group of apotropaic circles. There are also a number of lean-to shelter sheds attached to the barn. A historic buildings record was produced for the barn prior to its conversion (S1).
2011:Visits were made to the site to record the removal of the floor surfaces within Saviour's Barn, as well as the digging of a service trench and access road for the barn's conversion into a house. The site was located at the west side of Wingfield Green, Syleham Road, Diss, Suffolk. No archaeological deposits or finds were recorded. The site was somewhat disturbed by pervious farming activity as well as activity associated with the current building works (S2).

Saviours Barn, Wingfield. 19th century farmstead and farmhouse with converted buildings. Regular courtyard U-shaped plan formed by working agricultural buildings. The farmhouse is set away from the yard. Partial loss (less than 50%) of the traditional farm buildings. Located within a village (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.