We sign landmark heritage agreement with Historic England

The Chief Executives of National Highways and Historic England signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Monday, 2 June at the recently restored Upminster Tithe Barn.  

The agreement lays out how we'll work with Historic England to conserve and enhance sites of heritage significance. 

The repair of Upminster Tithe Barn, owned by Havering Council, is a key example of this partnership working approach. The project was largely funded by us as part of the Lower Thames Crossing scheme, which will run to the east of the site. The Lower Thames Crossing has a designated funding stream to support initiatives that deliver lasting benefits to communities and the environment in the vicinity. 

National Highways Chief Executive, Nick Harris, said: “I am delighted to see the positive outcome we have achieved here in Upminster by working together and to sign this agreement. National Highways is committed to conserving and enhancing heritage assets around the strategic road network, and the agreements signed will help to make the high standards achieved on this project become the norm across our other work together.” 

Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England, said: "The magnificent restoration of Upminster Tithe Barn demonstrates the powerful benefits of working together to protect our irreplaceable heritage and delivery of positive outcomes for people and communities alike. The partnership with National Highways shows how infrastructure projects and heritage protection can go hand in hand successfully." 

Councillor Ray Morgon, Leader of Havering Council said: “As the owners of Upminster Tithe Barn, Havering Council is very proud to have this building as part of the borough’s esteemed history.

“To also know that Historic England has confirmed Upminster Tithe Barn will also be removed from the Heritage at Risk Register, is great news."

The barn is an amazing survival story. Likely built during the reign of King Henry VI, using oak felled between 1420 and 1440, at nearly 150 foot (44 metres) long it is one of the largest thatched barns in the country and was slowly deteriorating.  

 A £650,000 grant from National Highways, through the Lower Thames Crossing scheme, and a £97,664 grant from Historic England funded the repair and restoration of the medieval structure. Historic England has also supported the conservation work with advice and technical expertise. 

Repairs to the timber frame, brickwork and a completely renewed thatched roof have given the building a new lease of life. Specialists from the London Borough of Havering, National Highways and Historic England worked effectively together to develop, fund and deliver the restoration scheme. 

Along with the new golden thatch of water reed, the barn is now topped with a pair of straw hares. They have been named Willow and Hunter by children in Year 5 at nearby Branfil Primary School. 

Historic England has confirmed that the barn, which is protected as a scheduled monument – the highest level of heritage protection – can now safely be removed from the Heritage at Risk Register. The next stage is to fundraise for a heating system and facilities to be installed so that the barn can be used more widely. 

The work was led by Lexden Contracts, specialists Essex Oak Frame and Simply Thatch, and design team Purcell, Conisbee and Stace.