What is a listed building?
A 'Listed Building' is a building of 'special architectural or historic interest', on a statutory list compiled by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Listed buildings enjoy special protected status under planning law. Buildings are chosen to be listed to enable us to preserve our built heritage.

Categories
There are three categories of listed buildings:

Grade I buildings are of exceptional interest
Buildings of national importance including both outstanding grand buildings and the fine, little altered example of some important style or date.

Grade II*, particularly important buildings
Buildings that might have merited Grade 1 status but for relatively minor detracting features such as impurities of design, or lower quality additions or alterations. Also buildings that stand out above the general mass of grade Grad II buildings because of exceptional interiors or some other features.

Grade II buildings are of special importance
Buildings of local importance or good examples of some period of style. Some degree of alteration or imperfection may be acceptable.

The current criteria for Listing means that the buildings selected are in one of the following categories:-

(a) Those built before 1700 which survive in anything like their original condition.
(b) Most (but not all) buildings built between 1700 and 1840.
(c) Buildings of definite quality built between 1840 and 1914 including, in particular, the principal works of the principal Architects of the time.
(d) A few buildings built after 1914 but more than 30 years old.

These buildings in the village were classified as "Listed" in 2003
Additions or amendments to this guide may have been made since it was published

GRADE 1.

GRADE II*

GRADE II

ABRAM CONSTABLES:-  The house was dated by The Cecil Hewett Organisation (author of English Historic Carpentery) at about 1480.  It was a yeoman farmer's Hall House.  The current owner has the deeds and indentures going back to 1781 and at one stage it was set out to three and a half acres of hopfields.. (as a matter of interest hops still grow wild in the garden)...the land now covers almost one acre.  The house acquired its name from Abram Constable, John Constable's cousin, who owned the house.  The owners possess, as proof, the original indenture made between Abram Constable, his wife Catherine and Henry Dyer when Abram sold the house on the 14th October 1836.  The indenture is sealed and signed by both Abram and his wife.  The house has also been called, over the centuries, Uplands and, amusingly, The Back To Front House.  This was possibly because the original road between Colchester and Sudbury ran at the bottom of the garden so what is now the 'front' door would have one time been the 'back' door! 
(with consent from the current occupier)

Total of 60 Properties Listed
Babergh District Council Oct 2003
Updated 12/01/2015