One of London’s oldest thatched roofs is being restored on a 15th-century tithe barn

One of London’s largest and oldest thatched roofs, on a 15th-century Tithe Barn, is currently being removed and replaced with fresh thatching as part of a large restoration project.

Upminster tithe barn prior to restoration (c) ianVisits

The Upminster Tithe Barn, one of the oldest buildings in the area, dates from a time when England was in the midst of an economic crisis known as the Great Slump. Trade had collapsed, driving down agricultural prices, rents and what was deemed to be acceptable levels of royal taxation. This played a part in civil uprisings and the outbreak of civil war in 1455 between the Houses of Lancaster and York, subsequently known as the War of the Roses.

It is also one of the earliest surviving buildings in the London Borough of Havering. It was built in the mid-15th century as part of the Waltham Abbey estate in Epping, at a time when the area was open countryside.

Grange or timber framed barns like this were often used for storing tithes – an early form of tax to support the church. The barn continued to be used after monasteries were dissolved by King Henry VIII and remains remarkably unchanged to this day.

In recent years, it had become apparent that the building would need repairs to both the barn structure and the thatched reed roof.

The museum inside the barn closed last year and following a year of preparation work, a team of four master thatchers and two apprentices are now spending a few very cold winter weeks working on the roof replacing the worn out reed thatch to make the building secure for the future.

Thatching underway at Upminster Tithe Barn, Upminster (c) Historic England Archive

Around 11,000 bundles, weighing around 30 tonnes, will be used to fully restore the thatched roof. A pair of decorative boxing hares made from straw will stand on the ridge as a finishing touch.

The repairs are being funded by £650,000 of central government funding via the National Highways heritage fund and an additional grant from Historic England of £97,664 along with ongoing specialist advice and support to cover the cost of additional work including timber repairs and treatment of all the external woodwork.

The work is being carried out by Lexden Contracts, specialists Essex Oak Frame, Simply Thatch and design team Purcell, Conisbee and Stace.

Tons of reeds waiting to be used (c) Historic England Archive

The new roof, which should be completed within a few weeks, is expected to last between 50 and 60 years.

Councillor Ray Morgon, Leader of Havering Council, said: “We’re delighted to be working together with National Highways, Historic England, Lower Thames Crossing scheme and all our partners, to help restore Tithe Barn. The start of the thatching works is an exciting milestone and will be a stunning feature of the barn when the restoration is completed. As the owners of Tithe Barn, Havering is very proud to have this building as part of the borough’s very proud history. The works being carried out will mean we can keep another part of our heritage alive for our residents now and for future generations to come.”

The new thatched roof will also pave the way for the tithe barn to be removed from Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register.

The two hares waiting to be installed (c) Historic England Archive

The Museum of Nostalgia, which is based in the barn, is aiming to reopen to the public this Spring.

It will also be worth visiting sooner rather than later to see the new thatched roof in its bright glowing condition before the British weather dulls the reeds over the next couple of years.

The tithe barn and museum are a short walk from Upminster tube station.