18th century sheds at Beaumont Otes, Chignall St. James (EHER 80771)

One of the sheds likely was constructed in the 18th century, whilst the other has been rebuilt in the 20th century.

February 2020. Level 3 building survey. Beaumont Otes is legible from Woodhall Hill as a historic farmstead in a derelict condition. The site of the existing open yard was the site of the farmhouse in the late 16th century. Building 4 is an open-fronted shed. It has a shallow-pitched, slate roof (the shallow pitch of the roof suggests that slate was its original roofing material) that is failing on its southern side. It appears to have been wholly rebuilt in the 20th century and has a modern, machine-cut timber roof, utilising some (reused) sizable hand-cut timbers. Building 5 is an open-fronted structure comprising two ranges. The rear wall of the eastern range incorporates 18th century brickwork while the northern range comprises 19th-century brickwork. This may have been a further shelter shed or cart shed. Its location close to the threshing barn and road access would suggest the latter, although its opening onto the yard would suggest the former; either way its usage may well have changed over time as the nature of the farmstead evolved. Otherwise these open-fronted ranges comprise modern, machine-cut roof structures, although hand-cut tie beams in the northern range are likely reused from earlier structures on the site. There is a modern blockwork extension at the southern end of the eastern range. <1>