A H O M E OW N E R ’ S G U I D E TO P R E S E RV I N G A N D E N H A N C I N G T H E C H A R AC T E R O F YO U R C O N S E RVAT I O N A R E A

Outbuildings 37

The Conservation Value ofOutbuildings

Before indoorplumbing becamewidespread, mosthouseholds wouldhave had access to atoilet or privy whichwas eitherfreestanding or builtas a lean-to against aboundary wall. Earlierworkers' cottages andhouses would have shared blocks of privies, whilehigher status (and later in the 19th century, workers'housing) would have had one privy per house. Ina similar vein, until the mid-20th century all houseswere heated by coal fires or open fires. Each housewould need somewhere to store deliveries of coal

and timber prior to use,therefore most houses andcottages were built withcoalhouses or coal boxeswhich could be loaded withcoal from the street andemptied from inside the yard.Sometimes the coalhouse and privy stood side byside or were under the same roof. With the adventof indoor plumbing and the increasingly commonuse of gas-fired, oil-fired and electric heating,virtually all privies and most coalhouses are nolonger used. Although relatively small and nolonger used, coalhouses and privies are interestingrelics of pre-modern times, as they are evidenceof past ways of life. It is therefore important thatfor present and future generations that thesehistoric features are retained wherever possible.

The Maintenance and Repair ofOutbuildings - Best Practice

The best motivation for maintaining or repairing anoutbuilding is to put it to use. While a privy or coalhousemay no longer be needed for their original purposes,they could be used as storage for gardening equipmentand furniture, bicycles, ladders and so on. It is important

for outbuildings toretain their originalcharacter, sofeatures like coalchutes or traditionalroofing and doorsshould be retained.Much of theguidance for therepair andmaintenance ofoutbuildings iscovered in the othersections of thisguide.

Gardens and BoundaryWalls

Outbuildings