Description

LONG MELFORD

922/0/10077 MILLS LANE
09-MAR-11 Barns at Rodbridge House

GV II
A late-C17 /early-C18 barn to the north, co-joined with an early-C19 barn to the south.

MATERIALS
The late-C17/early-C18 barn is a timber-framed structure on a red brick and flint plinth with weatherboard cladding to the north, east and west elevations. The steeply-pitched roof has a corrugated metal covering, overlying a relict tiled covering on the front pitch. The early-C19 barn is constructed of red brick, laid in Flemish bond, with a slated, shallow-pitched gable roof.

PLAN
The earliest barn has a double-aisled plan with midstrey to the west. The C19 barn is rectangular with two midstreys, also to the west.

EXTERIOR
At the west elevation of the four-bay aisled barn there is a full-height, off-centre midstrey with a pent roof; the former cart entrance at the north end has been blocked in. The north gable end has an inserted, double-door vehicular entrance. The east (rear) elevation has a double door, opposite the midstrey, and a smaller, inserted, pedestrian door to the left.

The C19 barn is considerably lower in height than the aisled barn. There are two, full-height projecting midstreys to the west elevation, each beneath gables with parapets terminating in single merlons on corbelled brackets. The south elevation has similar treatment. There are dentil cornices to the eaves The double-door to the northernmost midstrey is probably a later insert beneath a cranked, relieving arch. The smaller door in the southern midstrey is from the earliest phase. There are two entrances in the rear elevation, which is partly obscured by the C20 shelter sheds.

INTERIOR
The aisled barn retains much of its pegged and jointed timber frame. The arcade posts, some jowled, arcade plates and tie beams are present, with straight bracing (some secondary) between the tie beams and posts. The aisle plates and ties to all of the bays remain; some of the ties are strapped to the arcade posts and rest on low, brick walls.The wall studs and the roof structure, comprising common coupled rafters, clasped purlins and pegged collars, survive substantially intact.

The early-C19 barn is divided into two equal parts by a brick and stud wall with a door between the two. A hay-loft has been inserted in the left-hand section, where part of the earliest brick threshing floor also remains. The softwood roof structure comprises a ridge piece and rafters with collars, raking shores and internal, plank cladding.

A late-C19, central brick and weatherboard shelter shed, altered in the C20, projects to the west at the junction of the two. Neither this, the remaining yard walls or the C20 shelter sheds at the rear of the C19 barn are of special interest.

HISTORY
Rodbridge House, a former farmhouse, was listed at Grade II in 1978. The house has C14 origins, and the steading is depicted on an estate map of Melford Hall in 1613 with two detached outbuildings on the site of the present barns. The aisled barn, constructed in the late C17 or early C18, was probably at least one bay longer and may have had a thatched covering to the roof. From the late C18 until the 1920s, Rodbridge farm was owned by the Jennings family. It is believed that William Jennings Esq. extended the farmhouse and built the brick barn adjoining the aisled barn c1820, using similar architectural styling for both.

SOURCES
Leigh Alston, 'The barns, Rodbridge House, Long Melford, Suffolk: Historical Assessment.' Unpublished report. March 2010.

English Heritage and the Countryside Agency 'Historic Farmsteads Preliminary Character Statement: East of England' 2006.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION
The late-C17/early-C18 and early-C19 barns at Rodbridge House are designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural Interest: they retain a significant proportion of their original fabric. The earlier aisled barn has a timber frame of good quality with well-executed carpentry. The adjoining early-C19 brick barn is a robust structure which shares the same architectural treatment as the listed farm house.
* Intactness: both barns are substantially complete. The addition of the brick barn adds to the significance of the ensemble as it reflects the evolution of agricultural practice.
* Group Value: the barns have group value with Rodbridge House, listed at Grade II.

Reasons for Listing

DCMS agree yes list

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26675373

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)