If the walls of Green Farm could talk, I imagine they’d have quite a few tales to tell.

Built in 1779, the farmhouse still stands proud here in Brockford, Stowmarket, and every corner seems to whisper a little piece of history. But the building that really caught our hearts — and nearly broke them — was the old piggery.

When we first arrived, the piggery looked heartbreakingly fragile. Locals told us it had only fallen into disrepair in the last couple of years, but nature had wasted no time in claiming it back. Trees had grown through its roof, brambles had wrapped around the walls, and we were actually advised not to go inside — it was that unsafe. Still, there was something about it that felt magical. Enchanted, even.

A Building Full of Secrets

According to local stories, the piggery was built from clay lump, likely dug straight from what’s now our garden pond. The base of the walls is made from an even older clay-and-pebble mix, and as we started to clear and repair the structure, we carefully sourced similar pebbles to fill the gaps where time had taken its toll.

We even discovered a family of rats nesting in the holes — they were gently relocated to a safer home (far away from ours!).

One builder who came to see the site told us something fascinating: it’s quite possible the piggery predates the house by a couple of hundred years. He explained that when many monasteries were destroyed during the reign of Henry VIII, their walls and materials were often reused for later farm buildings. It would explain the two distinct building materials — the clay-and-pebble base perhaps from a monastic origin, and the later clay lump repairs added centuries after.

And then there are the marks. Near the roofline, carved faintly into the clay walls, we noticed several circular symbols. We later learned these were once believed to ward off evil spirits — protective markings created centuries ago to keep bad luck and mischief at bay.

It’s a humbling thing, standing in a place shaped by so many unknown hands, each layer telling its own story.

The Beam and the Myths

Running the full width of the building was an enormous timber beam — solid, weathered, and a bit eerie. Some locals believe it may once have been a hanging beam. The story goes that criminals from nearby Debenham were brought here, led up a wooden ladder to a mezzanine level, and met their fate beneath it.

Whether true or not, it certainly adds another layer of mystery to the piggery. The original ladder still stands quietly at the far end of the building, and we’ve been careful to preserve it — respecting both its craftsmanship and the stories it holds.

In later years, the building served a gentler purpose: home to pigs kept safely in styes. But as the decades passed and maintenance slipped, the walls began to crumble, the roof gave way, and it seemed the piggery’s story might finally end.

Breathing Life Back Into History

When we realised how close the piggery was to being lost forever, we knew what our first Green Farm project had to be: save the building. The roof was our top priority — we were fairly sure it wouldn’t survive another winter exposed to the elements.

What followed was weeks of hard graft. We cleared back the trees that had grown through the roof, removed piles of debris, and began gently repairing the clay walls, pressing in new pebbles to strengthen the base. Each day, we uncovered something new — a unique marking, a hidden joint, a tiny relic of the past.

And slowly, almost stubbornly, the piggery began to breathe again.

More Than Just a Building

There’s something deeply grounding about restoring a place like this. It’s not just about clay and beams — it’s about honouring the hands that built it, the lives that passed through it, and the stories that linger in the air.

For us, the piggery marks the true beginning of Green Farm Escapes. It’s a symbol of what we want this place to be: preserving history, nurturing creativity, and bringing people together in an atmosphere filled with warmth, laughter, and new memories.

One day, this space will be transformed — perhaps into something social, creative, and full of light. But for now, it stands as a beautiful reminder that even the most forgotten corners can be brought back to life with a bit of love, curiosity, and care.

So here’s to the piggery — ancient, resilient, a little mysterious — and to new beginnings rooted firmly in history.