No 36                             Old Hall Farm

The present Old Hall Farm was built in the late 17th century and is probably part of a much larger house which used to stand on the site. It is thought that there has been a major house on the site of the existing building since the first significant settlement at Low Shotesham. The size of the moat certainly suggests a larger house. A notable feature of the moat is that it is almost circular rather than the more common rectangular shape. There are only eight known examples of circular moats in the UK; it is believed that they date from the early twelfth century.

The existing house has two storeys plus an attic with a moulded brick plaitband. On the front there are two big chimney breasts with polygonal shafts. At the back there are wooden cross windows. Nearby is a number of farm buildings, including one which is of wattle and daub construction.

In 1930, the Whytes acquired the land from the Nerfords, to whom it had been passed, by marriage, in 1390, from the de Vauxs.

In 1428, there were fewer than ten households in Shotesham St Marys’and Shotesham St Martins’jointly, and there was no separate reference to St Botolphs’.