All charities rely on the volunteers without which they could not fulfill their goals. Some take on specific roles whilst others are willing to help out in whatever way they can, as and when they can. Tina Tee is such a volunteer. Find out why Tina’s contribution is valued and what volunteering brings to her.
I’m a Landbeach person having came into this world in the late forties some hundreds of years after the fascinating Tithe Barn was built and, as a baby, I lived just a short walk up the road. It was not long before my parents defected across the border to Waterbeach but my bus journey to and from school took me through the village of my birth and I would see the barn from the windows and have no idea of its history. Fortunately my history teacher at college was the noted historian Jack Ravensdale* who lived in Landbeach and was responsible for bringing history to life for me.
I’ve had a varied working life, starting with my parents’ hardware store in Waterbeach, opening a video library, a spell at Cambridge University Press, a receptionist for a Cambridge dental practice and then, despite being retired, I was lured into being a relief receptionist at a Complementary Health Practice for a few years. You could say I don’t let the grass grow under my feet.
A recurring theme in my life has been people, and my social activities revolve around meeting and spending time with interesting people. Alongside of this I want to be useful and like to put my energy into any help I can provide. This brings me to the Tithe Barn. A close friend is part of the Tithe Barn Trust and through her I knew of the efforts of the stalwart members working towards saving the barn for future generations. When she asked if I would like to assist her with refreshments for an event as part of the annual national Heritage Day I said yes and here I remain, volunteering on occasions in all sorts of capacities. I gain regular exercise from the task of cleaning; barns are not known for being dust proof! I meet and greet at some events, or work behind the refreshment table, sometimes also providing some of the edibles. In contrast I have planted a few trees and there are photographs to prove it.
Giving the barn a much-needed Spring cleanTina Tee planting trees
The events I help with are varied and provide interesting and enjoyable activities from annual tongue-in-cheek performances of Shakespeare plays, Christmas Carols, art installations and live music. All are enjoyable to be there for and be a small part of. I have had the pleasure of meeting fellow volunteers and working alongside with them. For me being part of the team is rewarding, it’s not particularly time-consuming and does offer the opportunity to play a part in saving the history of Landbeach.
As a result I have learned about the importance of the history of a building that embodies the agricultural story of the village I was born in. The Tithe Barn Trust volunteers are interesting people and some have extensive knowledge that is always informative including one gentleman, who offers numerous tales of the history that is the Tithe Barn, who lives a couple of doors up from the bungalow where I came into this world. For anyone who likes working with a friendly group and cares about our wonderful historical heritage, why not give the Tithe Barn Trust a go?
*Jack Ravensdale went on to be a Principal Lecturer in History at Homerton College, Cambridge. His publications included ‘Liable to Floods – village landscape on the edge of the Fens 450-1850’ which includes details of Landbeach.
The Tithe Barn Trust depends on the efforts of many people to help it fulfil its task working to ensure the future of Landbeach tithe barn as a valued community asset that all can enjoy. All volunteers bring something important to the barn whether it is simply helping out at an event or making a longer term, more formal commitment. Below, Luke Ayton our socia media volunteer tells us a little about himself and why he has enjoyed being involved with the Tithe Barn Trust.
Hi, my name’s Luke, I’m 44 and live in my home-town of Cambridge. I have been volunteering with the Tithe Barn Trust (TBT) for around three years now. I help with their communications activities, mainly arranging and posting into their social media accounts and advising on how to make better use of social media as a part of their overall communications activity. Nowadays social media are a crucial means of communication and essential in keeping both current followers and (hopefully) new readers up-to-date with all that is going on, especially events and fundraising campaigns.
I first came across the TBT while looking for volunteer roles during the Covid lockdown to gain some experience of Marketing, as I had just completed my Masters degree in the subject. Following a conversation with the then-Chair, I agreed to come on board. Since then I’ve collaborated with other volunteers to ensure that the Trust gets its messages out in a timely way through multiple channels including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X and also assisting with emails. Marketing communications is my professional area of expertise so this has been a natural fit for me and an easy way to make a useful contribution. It’s not an onerous task; I volunteer from home and mostly can make my contribution as and when it works for me. It gives me another outlet for my talents and it is good to feel that I am helping the TBT to achieve their goals of developing the medieval Landbeach tithe barn into an asset valued by the whole community.
The committee is a friendly bunch to work with who have always been very appreciative of my efforts on their behalf. In addition to feeling a valued part of the team my volunteering has benefited me in other ways too. The Trust has supported me to access useful training opportunities and when I recently changed job, they kindly gave me a reference that played a part in my securing my current role.
Somewhat reluctantly, I am now standing down after three rewarding years as my new role and home life are dictating a change of focus. I’ve greatly enjoyed being involved with what is a very worthwhile enterprise and especially liked dealing with a friendly and committed group of people of all ages. If you are looking for a small-scale local charity to contribute to at whatever level of commitment you wish to make, you could do a lot worse than Landbeach’s Tithe Barn Trust.
The weekend of the 8th-9th July saw the Barn, for the second time, host a number of local artists intent on showcasing their works as a part of this year’s Cambridge Open Studios.
Building on the success of last year (which saw the works of more than a dozen artists viewed by over 170 visitors) 12 artists again set up shop at the barn. The works displayed were very varied and provided lots of interest to a record number of visitors – over 230 across the two days.
Food for body and mind at the tithe barn at Landbeach during COS 2023
Reasonable weather and a selection of home-made refreshments and cold drinks all helped make for a pleasant and rewarding time for all who came. In addition to the art on display, there was a demonstration of basketry and some ‘plein air’* watercolour painting done onsite. There was also a lot of interest in the medieval barn and its history.
Artisitc inspiration – ‘Plein air’ watercolour painting at the tithe barn
Many people commented how much they enjoyed the event and admired the suitability of the barn as a venue. One visitor added that, for those who like to visit a number of artists over Open Studios fortnight, it was a lovely, relaxing experience to have so many artists grouped together. The ease of access for wheelchair users also was complimented.
This year’s participating artists were: Carole Ellison and Danusia Kielar (watercolour paintings, mostly landscapes), Rob Ellis (watercolour portraits), Colen Lumley and Andrew Oliver (oil paintings), Louis Marek (photography), Manda Barnes (works using resin and driftwood), Geraldine Poore (fine art basketry, demonstrated techniques on the Saturday), Steve Anderson (playful sculptures and mobiles), John Stephenson (life drawings), Mary B Fraser (mixed media: calligraphy and printmaking) and Melanie Hale (oil paintings, printmaking).
A total of 12 works were sold with Mary Fraser’s work proving particularly popular. We are already looking forward to hosting artists again for COS 2024!
A moment of relaxation at the tithe barn at Landbeach
* ‘Plein Air’ painting, the act of painting a landscape like a sitting portrait, with the artist able to better capture the changing light, weather and atmosphere. Go to https://www.thesimplethings.com/blog/pleinair-painting to learn more.
The Tithe Barn Trust depends on the efforts of many people to help it fulfil its task working to ensure the future of Landbeach tithe barn as a valued community asset that all can enjoy. All volunteers bring something important to the barn whether it is simply helping out at an event or making a longer term, more formal commitment. Below, long-time committee member and former trustee Richard Taylor (shown left below at a recent Outdoor Gym), who is standing down from his role, tells us a little about himself and why he has enjoyed being involved with the Tithe Barn Trust.
I have lived and worked in and around cambridge for many years as a surveyor with an interest in old buildings and so back in 2016 was intrigued by a public meeting to be held in Landbeach village hall. It was at this meeting that I found out about Landbeach’s tithe barn. It transpired that it was in a poor state with a leaking roof and rotting timber frame with a real risk of this rare survivor being lost through decay. However there was an enthusiastic and friendly group of trustees (led by very dynamic Chair Gemma O’Shea) who were working hard to overcome every obstacle & hurdle and save the barn as a community asset. Through my background in building survey I felt I had something to offer to this very worthwhile enterprise and so volunteered, joining as a trustee in 2016.
Since then I have enjoyed collaborating with the Trust’s dedicated group of trustees, other committee members and volunteers working on leases, insurance terms and specifying the essential remedial works required to preserve the barn for future generations to enjoy. Obtaining vital funding was difficult but following a determined campaign finally it was raised and while on holiday in Suffolk I interviewed the engineer we appointed who ran the jobs of essential structural repairs to prevent the barn collapsing and re-thatching to ensure it was weathertight. As is always the case when dealing with old structures there were many changes required including switching from a wheat-straw thatch (as favoured by the Local Authority) to Norfolk reed, which has doubled the projected life of the roof.
The barn todayUrgent repair worksBefore restoration
As a surveyor I have worked with many buildings over many years but this was very special. The next phase for the Trust is to encourage the use of the barn to develop revenue to maintain it in good condition and provide further facilities; retaining a wonderful slice of history in an area of rapidly encroaching development from an expanding Cambridge and the development of Waterbeach New Town. This requires the continued involvement of a committed and dynamic group of trustees, committee members and volunteers to drive things forward. Becoming involved does not require specialist knowledge, only dedication, determination and wish to make a contribution at whatever level suits the individual. I shall continue to follow the fortunes of this iconic building as an occasional volunteer as the Trust tackles the next stage in the barn’s long history.
Would you like to get involved?
We are always looking for people to join our friendly and enthusiastic band of volunteers contrubuting at all levels, from occasionally helping out, for instance at ‘Outdoor Gyms’ (maintenance days), through to event organising, committee membership and trustee roles. In particular we are currently seeking a dynamic and motivated person to take on the role of Chair of the Trust from our current Interim Chair Carolin Göhler. To find out more email tithebarntrust@gmail.com or see our volunteering page to find out more about the opportunities. We look forward to hearing from you.
As many of you will know, the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP)* has unveiled proposals* for a guided busway and park & ride to be built to link Waterbeach New Town with Cambridge. Two routes (the ‘Western’ and ‘Central’ routes) are under consideration and both will run close to Landbeach, significantly affecting the rural setting of the village. Further, the ‘Central’ option will pass close to the historic Tithe Barn in Landbeach.
Below you can read the Trust’s submission to the recent consultation objecting to the central route and propsed nearby park & ride area, bus loop and bus interchange.
Like many charitable endeavours the Tithe Barn Trust could not function without a dedicated team of volunteers. They help in many ways to ensure the barn is safe, well looked-after and ready for our events. A great example is Barrie Crick who helps ensure that the barn’s surroundings are well-kept and its furnishings are kept in good condition. Below he tells us a little about himself and why he enjoys volunteering with the Tithe Barn Trust.
Barrie planting a sapling tree on the approach to Landbeach tithe barn
Hello, I’m Barrie and a volunteer helper for The Tithe Barn Trust. I’ve lived and worked all my life in the Cambridge area and resided for the last 38 years in Waterbeach where, as well as raising a family, I have given my spare time to numerous voluntary roles within the community. I’ve been a parent helper at Waterbeach Primary school, Secretary of the Recreation Ground Users Committee, Secretary of the Waterbeach Colts Girls football club, Chairman of both Waterbeach and Milton Tennis Clubs and more recently a member of the Waterbeach COVID-19 mutual aid group, where we assisted people who couldn’t leave their homes with chores like shopping & pharmacy collections.
Now with the pandemic thankfully behind us voluntary work at Landbeach tithe barn has begun again, which I became involved with some five years ago. My involvement is assisting with the continual upkeep of the grounds and general handiwork of the barn contents, outside seating, bike racks etc. Occasionally I have also helped out with prepping the barn for any events that are held e.g. arts performances, weddings, fayres etc.
Barrie (2nd from left) and cake-maker Maggie (centre) helping at a recent ‘Outdoor Gym’.
I first got involved through an ‘Outdoor Gym’ session (helping look after the barn’s environs) which is a great way to get to know other volunteers whilst really helping with the upkeep of the barn and which really doesn’t require any specific skills; besides which co-volunteer Maggie usually provides delicious cakes which makes it even more worthwhile! These sessions only happen two or three times a year but as with any voluntary work, the time I give is completely at my discretion but I do find the little I do give is very appreciated by others and personally satisfying. It’s always good to see new faces so I do hope to see some of you at our next event (check out our ‘Events’ page for details) or go to our volunteering page or email tithebarntrust@gmail.com
The Tithe Barn Trust is working hard to secure the future of the iconic Landbeach tithe barn but is very much aware that it is building on hard work undertaken over many years by the now defunct Landbeach Society. In this blog, one-time Chairman of the Society and current Tithe Barn Trust committee member Dr. Ray Gambell outlines the background to the barn and the role of the Society played in working to ensure the future of our wonderful tithe barn.
The Landbeach Society was founded in 1972 in part to secure the preservation, protection, development and improvement of features of historic or public interest in Landbeach. Of particular importance were the older buildings, many thatched, which were in a sad state of repair. Chief amongst these was the Tithe Barn.
As a likely 15th Century structure the tithe barn is one of the oldest buildings in the village and its history is very much bound up with the local Parish Church of All Saints’, the former Manor of Chamberlains in Landbeach, and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. The College bought the Manor and appointed the Rector from the mid 14th century until the 1970s. He was usually the Master or a senior Fellow of the College, who lived in the adjacent Rectory and could farm the glebe holdings (church land) himself, or let them out to a tenant, sometimes retaining the tithes or commuting them.
By the early 1900s the Manor and Rectory farms had been brought together under one tenant, William Money, and the Tithe Barn was used as a normal farm barn for the storage of crops, farm machinery and general farm purposes. Following World War II the use of the Barn continued in this way, but its condition gradually deteriorated.
At the time of founding of the Landbeach Society, the barn was still a part of the Corpus Christi College Manor Farm, now tenanted by the Hatley family, and used mainly as a storehouse for ageing farm implements. In 1975 the Diocese of Ely sold the Rectory into private hands but retained the Tithe Barn, which falls within the curtilage of the Rectory, together with an access path from Waterbeach Road. At this time, the tithe barn was in a very poor state (as illustrated by the contemporaneous drawing below) and was in great need of attention so The Landbeach Society obtained a 99-year lease for the Tithe Barn from the Diocese in 1975 at a peppercorn rent, and set about raising the funds necessary to repair the Barn, and in particular to re-thatch it.
Landbeach tithe barn in 1975. Copyright Peter Jeevars. Used with permission.
A series of fundraising events were held to bring about the restoration of the building, including ‘Open Days’ when houses in the village were shown to the general public. Together with loans, generous donations and revenue from a variety of ventures The Society secured the substantial sum needed to re-thatch, restore and renovate the Barn. The re-thatching is illustrated below. A triumphant ‘Barn Warming’ ceremony was held in December 1975 to celebrate this achievement.
Re-thatching (the first time around) in 1975. Copyright The Landbeach Society. Used with permission.
The Diocese of Ely sold the Barn to South Cambridgeshire District Council in 1986 and the lease to The Landbeach Society was continued, but the maintenance of ancient structures is a constant activity and the Society was by then finding it increasingly difficult to fund the ongoing maintenance necessary to keep the building in good condition. All manner of events were held in the Barn, both as fundraisers and for the general enjoyment of the property by the villagers.
The Landbeach Society held fairly regular music events in the Barn over the years. These included performances by choirs, mandolin band, recorder group, string quartet, and folk singers with guitar accompaniment. The acoustic of the Barn is very sympathetic to such performances, and the members of the audience brought their picnics along to complete the evenings’ entertainment in the special atmosphere of the building.
Musical performance at the barn. Copyright The Landbeach Society. Used with permission.
A particularly memorable event was a performance by Bernard Miles (later granted a life peerage as Baron Miles of Blackfriars), the noted dialect actor. Standing in the atmospheric surroundings of the Barn, with the great double doors fully open (to let in sufficient light!), we were entertained by country tales and poems like no other. As one member of the audience said afterwards “Seeing Bernard Miles perform in the historic Barn was a stand-out occasion.” Perhaps the most bizarre event was a fire fighting demonstration put on in 1995 by two villagers (Geoff Setchell and Maurice Lynn) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the ending of the 1939-45 war, involving the use of a fake fire and a wartime stirrup pump!
Dousing the fake fire. Copyright The Landbeach Socoeity. Used with permission.
The Barn was (and still is) furnished with a number of large refectory-style tables, and long wooden pews originally from the Church, as well as wooden chairs, all very much in keeping with the atmosphere of the building. However, the absence of any other facilities made mounting regular activities challenging. Access was across a long uneven grass path and there was no artificial lighting, water or toilets. A long electric lead could be run across the garden from the Old Rectory on occasion (with the owner’s permission), and a portable toilet from a river cruiser was also brought along, but these were far from perfect arrangements.
Despite these drawbacks, The Landbeach Society received very positive comments on the opportunities to go into and to use the Barn – even when it rained!
‘I remember that handsome young man who sang and played his guitar.’
‘I had not expected the string quartet to sound so. . well, lovely.’
‘It was worth tramping through the wet grass to hear the Choir sing.’
‘We had a beautiful picnic looking out from the Barn across the Common in the setting sun.’
Various small repairs were carried out to the fabric of the building over the years, often with the help of the District Council but eventually, because of the difficulty of raising enough money to maintain the Barn adequately, the Society reluctantly decided that it had to surrender the lease back to the District Council in 2014.
2019. The barn once again in a rather delapidated state. Used with permission.
Landbeach Tithe Barn has been put to many uses in its long history and, as part of ensuring it becomes a valued asset appreciated by the local community, is available to host a diverse range of activities.It has been used both as a venue in which to display artworks and also has provided the inspiration for artists of many stripes. In this blog Mary Fraser, a local artist based in Girton, shares her thoughts on how the barn has served her as a source of inspiration.
I completed the Art and Design diploma (University of the Arts, London) at Cambridge Regional College in the summer of 2021, arriving a little late into the art community. I was delighted therefore when I met Melanie Hale, one of the trustees of the Tithe Barn Trust, at a life drawing class and she asked if I would be interested in joining a group of local artists to put on an exhibition at the tithe barn in Landbeach.
Melanie met me at the barn on a sunny morning in May to show me around and it was this visit that so inspired me to start thinking about the work for the July exhibition. This is an intriguing place to show art work, the internal space is imposing and stunning on its own account: not here the plain white silence of the traditional gallery wall; the timber walls and thatched roof will have to be a part of the exhibition too.
Landbeach tithe barn interior – first impressions
My inspiration often starts with a place but I spend a lot of time researching all kinds of elements that spring to mind as well as making lots of initial drawings before I start to develop my ideas. I was struck by the patterns made by repeated lines of timbers and made me think of lines of text holding words together.
Tithe barn roof timbersCornflower
By the time I started working on making pictures it was June, and the season for cornflowers, a natural feature in cornfields of old, almost becoming extinct in the 70’s due to use of pesticides. The wide doors of the tithe barn were big enough to let the carts in to unload the newly harvested and gifted corn or wheat and a few stray cornflower seeds would no doubt have smuggled themselves in. Thinking about what the barn had been built for and what kind of things might have been stored there led to the creation of the first piece made for Landbeach: Cornfield. The lines of the barn timbers suggested to me the stems of growing wheat and I used the calligraphy text and golden stitched threads to tie Cornfield together. The solid gold waves representing the imagined vision of the movement of ears of wheat in the wind, across a rural landscape that might have once been seen looking out from the barn.
Cornfield
A palimpsest is a manuscript or paper that has been scrubbed clean and reused at a later date, often leaving slight traces of the original writing. In May 2021 The University Library in Cambridge put on an exhibition of the palimpsests in their collection Ghost Words: Reading the past | Cambridge University Library. I had been experimenting with palimpsests in an artwork that I showed at the Calligraphy and Lettering Arts Society AGM exhibition in London earlier this year. It seemed to me that the tithe barn as space for an art exhibition was its own palimpsest, reusing a place for a different purpose, but the ancient timbers still shine through alongside the new repairs as a backdrop for new uses. These ideas that worked themselves into my next piece: Still life, not still. The traditional genre of “still life” depicts one moment in time, but time is ever on its changing course and not still at all. Tracing the lines of the timbers as the design structure for calligraphic text, I then print over and cover this, using screen printing technique; on top of the screen printed ink, I use another technique of freehand scratching, and finally gold gilding: the final artwork has several layers, incorporating aspects of the earlier ones, like a palimpsest, and like the tithe barn.
First screen print layer over pen dip calligraphyCompleted picture – ‘Still life, not still’
I like to use mixed media and for this exhibition I experimented contrasting the strict discipline of calligraphy with loose and free pencil marks. Many of my pieces have threads stitched in, to bind ideas together, sometimes using bookbinding tools as a nod to the ancient manuscripts where we are most used to seeing beautiful calligraphy.
Working on a new commissioned piece recently, I hid a tiny motif of an ear of wheat using thread and gold stitched over calligraphy (see below). The base for this was paper that I made up from pulping old scraps: always mindful of recycling, incorporating the old into the new, palimpsests and for me, the motif hints at “Cornfield” from Landbeach.
If you like my work and are interested in commissioning a piece of artwork to mark a special occasion please contact me at artbymarybee@gmail.com
Over the last couple of years, James Kilby of Koko Signs and Paint has been making a great contribution to helping us promote the barn and its events using his considerable artistic talents to create bright, memorable signs that really capture the spirit of the place. Below he tells us a little about himself, how he came to be a signwriter and why he enjoys working with the Tithe Barn Trust.
Hi. I am James, I’m 41 years old and based in Upwood in Cambridgeshire along with my wife Darlene and three grown children; a 22 year old daughter and two boys of 18 and 17. Before taking my arts more seriously my working life was as a welder and fabricator but I had always been into art and had very often done custom paintwork, whether it was with brush, airbrush or aerosol. I then found myself learning to tattoo and made my way into studios. While doing this I reconnected with an old friend from school who was working as a traditional sign writer and seeing his work inspired me to give this a go. Soon after starting I recalled my growing up and going to steam fairs and my love of canal boats and remember loving the vibrant paintwork for which I now had a much bigger appreciation for and loved the idea that I could do my bit in keeping an old trade alive, also knowing that there maybe signs of mine still around in years to come, and this is how Koko Signs and Paint came about.
There are two main pleasures from this work. One is having a happy smiling client as this shows me I’ve done well and given the client what they want; and two is when I get to see my work years later still going strong and this gives me a real sense of pride. The most challenging side of the work for me is the design process when I am given more free reign on the design; I often have so many ideas going through my head that I end up making it more difficult for myself to make the final decision. Developing my skills is the same as any job or hobby for anybody, I just keep practising or, as a saying I heard, ‘keep on keeping on’ which led to the abbreviation for my business – Koko. An aspect I love is the sheer variety of what I am asked to do. I can be doing a custom skateboard deck one day and restoring a village sign the next, designing motorcycle tank art or producing traditional-style canal art. Other than this it’s great to see others’ work and their design and work processes as there are always tips, tricks or even new products to try and see if it makes life easier.
It was during the midst of Covid when work was slow that I came across an advert seeking supporters for the Tithe Barn Trust and Landbeach tithe barn. I had a great chat and meeting with Gemma O’Shea (Trust Chair at the time) where it was decided that I could do something to help with their cause by producing attractive traditional-looking sign boards.
July 9 & 10 saw over 170 visitors view artworks by more than a dozen local and regional artists working in a wide range of media.
The wonderfully atmospheric Landbeach tithe barn and the fine weather made for a perfect location to take in and admire this display of East Anglian talent.
The exhibition included works by Cambridge Drawing Society members Rob Ellis (watercolours), Naomi Tomkys (oil paintings) and Rita Morton (linocuts). Others included Mary B Fraser (mixed media work, calligraphy and printmaking); Louis Hopper Marek (photography); John Stephenson, Manda Barnes and Pete Bucktrout (life drawing/painting); Gurpran (Bunny) Rau (abstracts) and last but by no means least, Tithe Barn trustee Melanie Hale (oil painting & printmaking).
In addition there was fine art basketry by Geraldine Poore, Melanie Hart and Sally Roach, wire sculptures by Manda Barnes, plus some interesting vitrines (display cases) by Victoria Smith. Watercolourist Rob Ellis also has made beautiful guitars and brought two of his instruments, inviting visitors to play them. At the end of the two days 12 artworks had been sold, including three photo prints by 17 year-old Louis, clearly a young talent with great potential.
John Stephenson’s work proved popular with three sold
Open Studio – Ready and waiting for visitors
Some examples of the work displayed by other artists are below.
Manda BarnesPortrait of the artist as a tree (Rob Ellis)Mary FraserMelanie HaleLouis Hopper MarekRita MortonGeraldine Poore
All artwork images copyright to artist. Used with permission.
A hidden gem in the heart of Landbeach, Cambridgeshire
Tithe Barn Trust 