19th to 20th century farm buildings at Leaden Hall Farm (EHER 47259)

The structures surveyed in 2011 at Leaden Hall Farm illustrate the development of an Essex farm from the 17th through to the 20th century, and the complex forms a varied group whose buildings and environment have survived essentially unaltered.

2010. Heritage statement. A heritage statement was prepared to support the planning application for the construction of the redundant buildings at leaden hall Farm, two Grade II Listed and the remaining curtilage listed to a residential use. <1> 2011. Building survey. The remaining buildings (apart from the listed building EHER 37375 and 37376) all date to the 19th or 20th centuries, with the possible exception of Building G. Although this is clearly visible on the 1846 tithe map, there is a strong case to make for Building G being either inaccurately located on the 1777 Chapman and André map, or a successor to the structure that is shown. If we assume that the provision for two barns indicates an increased output, then it is logical that a granary would have been needed to store this increase. Building G, or the structure on the Chapman and André map, is likely to have fulfilled that role. Leaden Hall Farm certainly had a granary, as it is mentioned in the 1870 auction catalogue. Further evidence for this building being the granary comes from a change in farming practice. Prior to 1750 it was common practice for grain to be stored in the loft of the farmhouse, but after this date, due to the increase in yields, purpose-built granaries appear in East Anglia. Building G fits the criteria for such a granary. Although it is not raised on staddle stones, it does sit upon a high dwarf wall and is only a single storey in height. As it is accessed by a flight of steps, it clearly was not used by animals. Map evidence indicates that Building C was constructed by 1846 and the design and location of the structure suggest it was a cart shed. Cart sheds typically faced north away from the farmyard, to protect their contents from the sun and rain and gave direct access to the fields. The worn boards attached to the two warped rails may have acted as buffers preventing carts from damaging the south wall of the shed. Likewise, the protective concrete around the bases of the posts of the open side signify a later intent to protect the posts from damage when the building was used for modern machinery rather than carts. Building D is of no significant archaeological interest apart from its use in illustrating the continuation of the agricultural need to house farm vehicles, whether wooden carts (as in Building C) or modern machinery. The remaining buildings (E-F) date to the 19th century and emerged from the changes associated with the Parliamentary enclosure movement. One facet of this movement was an emphasis on the planning and construction of new farm buildings. Farms saw an increase in the quantity of equipment, crops and livestock which were house, stored or processed there, and it was considered that every farmer should have a suitable shed for implements, activities or livestock. This was encouraged from 1849 by an act of Parliament that provided loans for investment in new farm buildings. Building E was constructed sometime between 1846 and 1870, most likely (given its proximity to the cart shed) as a stable. Later alterations have removed any traces of individual stalls, but it is possible that the horizontal wooden planking around the south walls was intended to protect the frame of the building from the equine occupants. The plain tile roof is probably original and suggests Building A was re-roofed at the same time that the stable was constructed. Building F was originally a small, three-bay shed standing alone to the south east of the stable, Building E. The map evidence suggests it was probably constructed at the same time, as does the shape of its original hipped roof which is highly likely to have been covered in plain tiles. The small extension to building E is later than 1870 but dates to before 1881. This probably had a simple gabled roof, extended to cover the earlier structure in the 20th century when the tiles were replaced with corrugated asbestos sheeting. The carpenters’ marks displayed on some of the timbers are useful for dating the buildings. The earliest marks were usually sweeping scratches made by a knife, whilst those from the 17th century were more carefully made with a knife or chisel. Those from the 18th and 19th centuries were characteristically small, deep and neat, made with a chisel. The marks in Building A closely match the style assigned to the 17th century, supporting the construction date. However, several of the marks observed in the earlier Building B appear to date to the style used in the 18th and 19th centuries. This suggests replacement timbers have been inserted, in particular the arched braces of trusses B and C. This makes sense as Building B has been extended, possibly causing undue stress to the frame. The lack of opposing roof support (half-hipping) and the hay loft above the tie beams (if there was one) may also have contributed to damaging these timbers. The timbers of Building C, the cart shed, all appear to be contemporary machine-cut timbers with the neat, deep chisel marks characteristic of the 19th century. This is also the only building with a sequential (I-V) set of carpenters’ marks. The timbers of Buildings E and F are also contemporary machine-cut timbers, apart from the tie beams in the south end of Building F which are re-used. Building G, the granary, has timbers that are machine-cut and broadly contemporary. The carpenters’ marks, which are broad and chiselled, are all located on studs rather than at main joints and this suggests they are re-used timbers. The farm complex forms a group of buildings dating from the beginning of the 17th to the 20th century. The threshing barns and granary, combined with the lack of stables and byres suggest a predominantly arable-based land holding, although by the late twentieth century the farm had diversified into dairy farming, with Building A housing cattle. Although some of the features have been obscured by modern materials, in particular the foam insulation in Building A, much of the form and fabric remains intact. However, over time, most of the original fixtures and fittings have been lost. The size and quality of the two listed barns (Buildings A and B) suggest Leaden Hall Farm was relatively wealthy in the post-medieval period, although perhaps not as successful during the later Victorian High Farming era. The structures surveyed at Leaden Hall Farm illustrate the development of an Essex farm from the 17th through to the 20th century, and the complex forms a varied group whose buildings and environment have survived essentially unaltered. <2>