NHER 19435 (Building record) - Old Farm and Nield Farm

Old Farm and Old Farm Cottage, 43 and 45 Main Road. (Name of No.45 changed to Nield Farm 1987).

1983. Visit.
Building of flint and brick, said locally to be a manor house. Contains reused medieval stonework. Dated 1535, but this is dubious. Once larger. Also 19th century buildings with reused stone and a converted 'tithe barn'.
See report (S1) and architect's plans (S2) in file.
E. Rose (NAU), 22 August 1983.

University of East Anglia survey of farm buildings (S3) in file.
There buildings are: late 18th century/early 19th century stable and shelter shed and an early 19th century stable.

2005. Visit.
The fireplace in the eastern ground floor room of Old Farm has two Sussex marigolds (a symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary), an AM (Ave Maria) symbol, 'poker burn' ritual marks and a mark resembling a letter 'R' which is believed to be apotropaic.
A rollmoulded beam at the ground floor level would fit with a date of 1535. However, other mouldings and stops date to nearer 1600. Therefore the rollmoulded beam and the datestone were probably brought in from another building.
Information from (S4).
D. Robertson (NLA), 13 June 2006.

March 2005. Building Survey.
The house comprises three bays and is constructed of flint and brick with the flint mainly being coursed with some galleting. There is a sundial set towards the western end of the south face with a date in arabic numerals of 1535, which could be a late addition. There is some stonework at this end of the building in the plinth and door jamb. The west end has an 18th/19th century brick stack of standard sized bricks with horizontal 'kiss' marks (a mark on a brick face produced during firing due to the method of stacking). Next to the stack is the back of a fireplace with a herrinbone pattern of early bricks.
See report (S5) for further details.
S. Howard (NLA), 10 November 2009.