The Beauchief Environment Group is very concerned about the Abbey barns, adjacent to Beauchief Abbey Farm. The barns form part of the Conservation Area which includes the Abbey itself, and are probably of 18th Century origin, although they were most likely built using stone from the Abbey. They are Grade 2 listed by English Heritage.
Two of the barns are in a dilapidated state, having received no maintenance for many years. The barns have most recently been used by the green keepers of Beauchief Golf Course, as workshops and storage and we have been able to store BEG tools in one of them, but recently one of the roofs partially collapsed, and a survey commissioned by the Council declared them unsafe. They are now fenced off to prevent access.
We are very concerned that without attention the buildings will rapidly deteriorate and as water enters the roofs the integrity of the walls will be lost. At the very least the open roof should be covered.
We need to make the Council aware that local people do care about this historic group of buildings for its own sake and because it forms part of a very precious landscape. Once the barns are gone, they cannot be replaced, so we feel it is necessary to do our best to obtain an undertaking from the Council that in the future there will be a budget to maintain them in safe repair.
There is a meeting of the Council on March 12th and it would be great if as many people as possible could email the Leader of the Council, Councillor Tom Hunt (email: tom.hunt@councillor.sheffield.gov.uk), before that date and indicate their support for the barns.
The pro forma letter below may be helpful, but your own letter, either posted or emailed would be great too.
Pro forma letter addressed to Councillor Tom Hunt, Leader of the Council and Chair of the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee
Dear Councillor Hunt
Beauchief Abbey Barns
I am concerned about the future of the Grade 2 listed buildings named above.
They are now considered unsafe, despite being in daily use for many years, and under the care of the company appointed by Sheffield City Council.
I feel that this unique and historic group of buildings should be protected for its own sake, and because it forms part of a very precious landscape. Once the barns are gone, they cannot be replaced.
I call upon the Council to protect the barns from further deterioration and to put in place a plan to repair and maintain this attractive and important group of buildings in the Beauchief Abbey Conservation Area.
Signed
Please sign our online petition and encourage your friends, neighbours and other contacts to do so too. You may like to forward the email for their information!
The link for the online petition is: bit.ly/saveabbeybarns
Thank you.