NHER 69876 (Monument record) - Site of High Common Farm and associated late post-medieval to modern remains

This is the site of High Common Farm, a now demolished farmhouse shown on the Wreningham Tithe map of 1838 (S1). The farm is not shown on Faden's map of 1797 (S2) but the farmhouse itself is thought to have had much earlier origins.

April 2024-September 2025. Building Survey and Watching Brief.
A 'Level 2' building survey was completed prior to the demolition of High Common Farm, the results of which were supplemented by additional observations made during the demolition works themselves (when a number of brick samples were also collected).
At the time of the survey the building had clearly been poorly maintained for a considerable time, with evidence of water ingress and damp throughout and various significant structural defects noted.
The survey suggests High Common Farm had begun as a timber-framed, three-bay cottage. It had probably been constructed during the 16th century and was part of a group of similar farm cottages clustered around the edge of High Common. This original cottage was represented by the much-altered eastern half of the building. At a later date a second, one-and-a-half storey cottage was constructed abutting the western gable end of the first. It is not known when the two became a single dwelling, but this may well have occurred in the late 18th century, when High Common was enclosed. In the 19th century southern and northern red brick extensions were added to the eastern end of the farmhouse, at which time the principal façade was also enhanced and a central staircase inserted. The roof of the western portion of the building also appeared to have been replaced around this time. During the mid 20th century various internal alterations were made and the entire building was encased in a single skin of yellow brickwork. A further phase of work in the 1990s saw various elements of the farmhouse extensively rebuilt and the northern extension demolished.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 25 May 2026.

October-December 2025. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with construction of new residential dwelling.
Although much of the area had clearly seen some degree of disturbance during the demolition of the old farmhouse it was possible to identify a number of surviving archaeological features. These included three pits and two walls, all of which appear to have been associated with late post-medieval to modern activity on the site. The earlier of the two walls was aligned east-to-west and constructed from red bricks of probable 19th-century date. This was most likely a garden wall. The second structure was constructed from yellow bricks and probably represented a more recent garden wall. Two of the pits contained finds of late post-medieval to early modern date, while the third was clearly modern, being seen to truncate the remains of the late post-medieval garden wall.
No unstratified finds were recovered.
See report (S4) for further details.
The footprint of the farmhouse itself is now recorded as Context 1.
P. Watkins (HES), 23 June 2026.