History
The Barn was probably built in the early to mid 18th century, and would originally have been thatched. Variations to the structure and use have occurred over a period of time. Originally the Barn was used for thrashing corn, then later for dressing and storage in sacks and bins, and more recently for storing grain in bulk on the floor. The large building on the south side housed facilities for extracting water from the well and pumping it to a tank on a tower from where it was conveyed by gravity to the stock in the yards nearby. Originally the water was extracted by equipment worked by a horse walking round in a circle (hence the shape of the wall in that area) and that part of the Barn was known as an 'animal engine house'. Later the water was extracted by the various pumps which you will find in the small Barn. The alcoves at either end of the main Barn would have been used to house animals.

In the early 18th century the farm was owned by Lord Camelford and farmed for him by the Blyth family, who purchased it from him in 1808 and did well to prevent it from being taken over by the surrounding empires of the Houghton, Holkham and Le Strange estates. He was the moving spirit in the enclosure of the Deepdale and Norton Marshes which was completed in 1822. Lord Orford (Lord of the Manor at Norton) co-operated and the work was carried out by Thomas Telford. On 19th October 1822 H.R.H. Duke of Sussex and Mr. T. W. Coke (later Earl of Leicester) called to see the new bank and dined with Henry Blyth. The Duke commented on the farm's likeness to his own estate and from that time on the farm was known as Sussex Farm. Henry Blyth died in 1831 and was succeeded by his eldest son, H. E. Blyth who lived at Sussex Farm until 1880. It was then let to Henry Cook and after his death in 1902 was farmed by his son Ben Cook (the second son Harry Cook farmed Deepdale). Both Sussex Farm and Deepdale were sold in 1910 to W. F. Marshall who farmed both until 1934. Henry Thompson purchased the farm on 26th June 1934 (the selling agents being Charles Hawkins and Sons) and he used his immense knowledge of draining marsh and fenland to complete the work at Deepdale. He used the Sussex Barn for corn storage and also later for the storage of seed potatoes, an enterprise at which he was most successful. A picture exists of the original farmhouse, which was an Elizabethan Manor House, which fell into disrepair and partially burnt down during the time of absentee landlords. The present house was built in the early 19th century. Nelson was known to have visited the farm while at home in Burnham Thorpe.

Directions

      

NEXT PAGE:> Langley Spring Fair
Back to Top