Middleton, Suffolk

SUMMARY
Fordley Hall Farm offers the purchaser a rare opportunity to acquire a superb and most attractive residential and sporting farm in east Suffolk, just five miles from the Suffolk Heritage Coast to the east of the A12. The farmstead, which lies adjacent to Fordley Road and Littlemoor Road on the outskirts of Middleton Moor, comprises a most attractive and extensive Suffolk farmhouse and range of farm buildings, both traditional and modern, extending in all to some 21,000 sq ft.

The arable land, which is predominantly ring fenced and lies either side of the Sizewell Link Road, totals approximately 234 acres (95 hectares), is gently undulating and consists of productive Grade 3 soil type. The farm, which has won awards for conservation, also boasts some beautiful areas of mature woodland, numerous ponds and grassland.

SITUATION & LOCATION
Fordley Hall Farm is set in a delightful rural Suffolk countryside location to the east of the A12 main road. The property is situated within the Parish of Middleton cum Fordley with the Middleton village centre itself being approximately one mile; here, there is a popular pub, The Bell Inn. The property is ideally located for access to the coast with Aldeburgh being 8 miles and Southwold 12 miles. Both towns are celebrated for their cultural richness including WNES Aldeburgh’s annual music festival held at Snape Maltings Concert Hall which is just 7 miles. For those who enjoy golf and sailing, both can be found at Aldeburgh. The town of Saxmundham which has both Waitrose and Tesco supermarkets as well as a railway station is just 3.5 miles. There are direct trains to London’s Liverpool Street station via Ipswich.

Lot 1
Fordley Hall Farmhouse and the Farmstead Coloured blue on the sale plan A most attractive and substantial period farmhouse with a good range of modern and traditional buildings standing in idyllic gardens and grounds of 7.09 acres.
Fordley Hall is a Grade II Listed, seven-bedroom farmhouse. It is believed that from the carvings on principal beams in the hall/dining room, that the original hall dates to 1478 with both wings extended in the 1960s. The house is of timber frame construction with rendered elevations under a plain tiled roof. The house extends to some 4,300 sq.ft. arranged over two floors plus a cellar. Adjacent to the farmhouse is a redbrick building, comprising two open fronted garages with a secure workshop and above, an impressive studio incorporating generous sitting area, desk space, kitchenette, shower room and WC. The studio (which is used as the farm office), would be an ideal annexe or holiday let. The house stands in beautiful grounds where there are south and west facing patios, a vegetable garden, floodlit tennis court and meadow with an idyllic pond below an ancient oak tree. Adjacent to this is a horse paddock which is fenced and has direct access to the yard.

Immediately adjoining the farmhouse gardens is the farmstead where there is a good range of historic and more modern buildings, which have excellent independent access from
Littlemoor Road. The buildings, which are detailed below, have scope, subject to the normal consents, to be converted for alternative uses:-

1. Grain Store
60’ x 60’ (18.28m x 18.28m)
Of steel portal frame construction with part steel profile sheet cladding and part corrugated fibre cement/asbestos cladding. 500 tonne capacity with gas fired underfloor ventilated (and heated) sides. The roof accommodates 110 PV panels and within the building are two Tesla batteries, control panels together with the electricity meter for the buildings and farmhouse. The property is an overall nett exporter of electricity under FIT tariff scheme.

2. Grain Store Lean To
60’ x 21’ (18.28m x 6.40m) (minimum).
Steel frame construction with part block and part corrugated fibre cement/asbestos cladding with remote controlled up and over door to the front. 75-100 tonne grain storage capacity.

3. Chemical Store
45’ x 26’ (13.71 x 7.92m)
Predominantly brick, timber and block construction under a corrugated fibre cement roof.

4. Workshop/Store
40’ x 28’ (12.19m x 8.53m) (inclusive of cloakroom and additional store).
Of timber frame construction with part brick and part block elevations under a fibre cement/asbestos corrugated roof.

5. Timber Frame Suffolk Barn
54’ x 19’ (16.45m x 5.79m)
An historic timber frame Suffolk barn with a brick and block plinth under a tiled roof.

6. Open Fronted Cart Lodge
53’ x 45’ (16.15m x 13.71m)
Of timber frame construction under a part pantile, part profile sheet roof.

7. Store
53’ x 22’ (16.15m x 6.70m)
Of timber frame construction with brick and flint plinth under a pantile roof.

8. Dutch Barn
56’ x 28’ (17.06m x 8.53m)
Of timber frame construction under a fibre cement/asbestos corrugated roof.

9. Shoot Room
60’ x 16’1 (18.28m x 4.90m)
Of brick and timber construction under a pantile roof. This old dairy building is now used as the shoot room and inclusive of a cloakroom with WC and separate kitchen area. First floor storage above.

10. Open Store
76’ x 43’ (23.16m x 13.10m)
A large general-purpose store of timber frame construction with corrugated fibre cement/asbestos.

11. Stables/Cart Lodge
76’ x 16’ (23.16m x 4.87m)
Of timber frame construction with a brick plinth under a pantile roof. Includes three large stables each of approximately 15’ square, along with a triple bay cart lodge.

12. Store/Tack Room
53’ x 15’ (16.15m x 4.57m)
Of predominantly block construction with weatherboarded elevations under a pantile roof. Divided into sections including kennels, stores and tack room.

13. Three Corrugated Grain Silos.

Fordley Hall Farmland
The farmland at Fordley Hall Farm is gently undulating in topography and comprises a wonderful mix of arable land (214 acres), woodland (29 acres) and grassland (31 acres). In all, the land extends to approximately 273 acres (111 hectares) and is predominantly ring fenced, bordered by the Ipswich/Lowestoft railway and lying either side of the Sizewell Link Road, which, when completed will include the benefit of a private underpass providing pedestrian, vehicular and agricultural access between Lots 2 and 3. The land consists of productive medium and heavy soil type, classified as the Wickham and Beccles Series and is classified as Grade 3 under the DEFRA 1:250,000 Agricultural Land Series Classification Map. The farm is well drained and ideally suited to a white straw rotation, and the typical cropping includes winter wheat, barley, feed beans, peas and sugar beet. The land is farmed in hand to a high standard under a contract farming arrangement. In 2019, the farm won the Suffolk Farm Business Competition for the ‘Best Small Farm’ as well as a Special Award for ‘Best Conservation’, being tribute to the vendors passion for farming and dedication to wildlife and conservation across the farm which has included, amongst other things, the planting and establishment of new hedgerows and woodland, wild bird cover and the restoration of numerous ponds. The property is a well-known and highly regarded Suffolk shoot offering sporting pheasant and partridge shooting and has been run in hand, by the current owner, for over twenty years. There is a shoot room within the farmstead and the drives consist of both woodland and cover strips, the latter of which have been planted for the 2027 season. The farmland is offered for sale in two lots.

LOT 2
150.91 acres (61.18 hectares) of farmland Coloured pink on the sale plan
Lying adjacent to the farmstead and south of the Sizewell Link Road, Lot 2 comprises a beautiful mixed block of arable land (124 acres), mature woodland (18 acres), grassland (8 acres), nine picturesque ponds (1.28 acres) and in all, extends to approximately 150.91 acres (61.17 hectares). There is good access off both Fordley Road and Littlemoor Road, as well as some excellent internal farm tracks. When the Sizewell Link Road is complete, there will be the benefit of a private underpass providing vehicular and agricultural access between Lots 2 and 3. 

LOT 3
122.40 acres (49.53 hectares) of farmland Coloured yellow on the sale plan
This ring-fenced block of farmland, which extends to approximately 122.40 acres (49.53 hectares) lies south of the B1122 Yoxford Road and north of the Sizewell Link Road. Lot 3 also boasts a delightful blend of land uses, including mature woodland (11.49 acres), a number of attractive small ponds as well as eight good sized arable fields (110.45 acres). The main access point into Lot 3 is from the B1122 Yoxford Road from where there are further well-established internal farm tracks.

GENERAL REMARKS & STIPULATIONS
Post Code and What3words
IP17 3LT
What3words – ///deed.pave.shiver

Method of Sale
The property is being offered for sale by Private Treaty as a whole or in up to three lots.

Tenure and Possession
The property is to be sold freehold with vacant possession, subject to any tenancies, farming arrangements and licences that are in place.

Data Room
Additional information about Fordley Hall Farm can be found in the online Data Room. Please contact the selling Agents for access.

Environmental Schemes
Fordley Hall Farm is part of a Countryside Stewardship Scheme (Agreement Reference 1643943) with the agreement end date being 31st December 2028. Prospective purchasers will be required to take on the obligations of the scheme.
The property is also within a Sustainable Farming Incentive (Agreement number 1655853), with the agreement end date being 31st December 2026. Further details of the agreements can be found in the Data Room.

Exchange of Contracts and Completion
A deposit of 10% of the purchase price will be payable on exchange of contracts and if early entry is required, then the Purchaser will be asked to pay an additional 10% at that stage. Upon agreeing Heads of Terms, the Purchaser may be required to sign an ‘Exclusivity Agreement’ with a 5% ‘Exclusivity Payment’ being paid to and held by the Vendor’s solicitor.

Holdover
If required, the Vendor reserves the right of holdover to harvest, store and load certain crops until 31st March 2027 - further detail of which are available from the selling Agents.

Sporting, Minerals and Timber
Insofar as they are owned, all rights of sporting, minerals and timber are included in the sale of the freehold. The property is a well-known and highly regarded Suffolk shoot offering both pheasant and partridge shooting and has been run in hand, by the current owner, for over twenty years.

Fixtures and Fittings
Unless described in these sales particulars, all fixtures, fittings, and garden statuary are specifically excluded from the sale.

Structural Survey
The Vendor has commissioned a full building survey on the farmhouse and outbuildings and for the benefit of interested parties, a copy of which is available in the Data Room. Upon completion, the surveyors, will assign the survey to the Purchaser, who will reimburse the Vendor for the cost of the survey – further details are available from the Agent.

Town and Country Planning

The property is sold subject to any development plans, tree preservation orders, ancient monument orders and Town and Country schedules or other similar matters that may be or come into force.

Outgoings
The property is sold subject to any drainage rates and other outgoings that may be relevant.

Boundaries, Plans, Areas, Schedules and Disputes
The boundaries are based on the Ordnance Survey and are for reference only. The Purchaser(s) will be deemed to have full knowledge of the boundaries and any error or mistake shall not annul the sale or entitle any party to compensation in respect thereof. Should any dispute arise as to the boundaries or any points arise on the general remarks and stipulations, particulars, schedules, plan or the interpretation of any of them, such questions shall be referred to the selling agents whose decisions acting as expert shall be final. The property is registered with the Land Registry and the Title Documents are available in the Data Room.

Easements, Covenants, Rights of Way and Restrictions
The property is offered for sale subject to and with the benefit of all existing wayleaves, easements, quasi easements, rights of way, covenants and restrictions whether mentioned in these particulars or not. 

Sizewell Link Road
Whilst the property sits in a particularly pleasant rural location, it should be noted that the Sizewell Link Road bisects the farm (between Lots 2 and 3) and whilst some distance from the farmhouse and buildings, interested parties may wish to study the plans which are within the public domain or available from the Agent.

Vendor’s Solicitors
Birketts, 141-145 Princes Street, Ipswich, IP1 1QJ. Att: Tom Verrill. Tel: +44 (0) .

Viewing
Strictly by appointment with the selling Agents.

Local Authority
East Suffolk Council, Station Road, Melton, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 1RT. Tel: +44 (0) .

VAT
Any guide price quoted or discussed is exclusive of VAT. In the event that a sale of the property or any part thereof or any right attached to it becomes a chargeable supply for the purposes of VAT, such tax will be payable in addition.

Lotting and Cross Rights
If the farm is sold in lots, there may be reserved rights agreed to benefit each lot and to ensure the continued access, maintenance and supply of services across the farm.

Anti-Money Laundering
In accordance with the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, once an offer has been accepted, the Purchaser will be required to provide proof of identity and address prior to the instruction of solicitors.

Ingoing Valuation
The Purchaser(s) may, in addition to the purchase price, be required to take over and pay for growing crops and other tillages, postharvest sprays and other acts of husbandry to include costs of all cultivations and operations in accordance with CAAV costings or contractor costs. Enhancement will be charged on all crops after 1st January 2026 at £30 per acre per month from the date of sowing to completion. Hay and straw at market value. All purchased stores including fertilisers, seeds, sprays, feeding stuffs, fuel and oils etc. to be charged at cost. Tenant right shall be paid for immediately once the valuation is agreed with interest at 4% over Barclays Bank plc base rate at the date of valuation from exchange of contracts on to date of payment. Should the valuation not be agreed within four weeks of exchange of contracts, the matter will be referred to the decision of a single Arbitrator to be appointed by agreement or in the event of a dispute by the President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Important Notice
1. Clarke & Simpson and their client give notice that every care has been taken with the preparation of these particulars, but complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed. If there is any point, which is of particular importance to you, please obtain professional confirmation. Alternatively, we will be pleased to check the information for you. These Particulars do not constitute a contract or part of a contract. All measurements and areas quoted are approximate. The Fixtures, Fittings & Appliances have not been tested and therefore no guarantee can be given that they are in working order. Photographs are reproduced for general information, and it cannot be inferred that any item shown is included. No guarantee can be given that any planning permission or listed building consent or building regulations have been applied for or approved. The agents have not been made aware of any covenants or restrictions that may impact the property, unless stated otherwise. Any site plans used in the particulars are indicative only and buyers should rely on the Land Registry/transfer plan.

2. The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 require all Estate Agents to obtain sellers’ and buyers’ identity.

Particulars prepared: May 2026. Reference: C982B