Historic building recording at Thrift Farm, Moulsham Thrift, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 8BP

A programme of historic building recording was carried out by Colchester Archaeological Trust at Thrift Farm, Moulsham Thrift, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 8BP in October 2022. The HER records Thrift Farm as being designed and constructed in 1865 by locally renowned architect, Frederic Chancellor. This is, however, incorrect. While it was constructed sometime between 1865 and 1867, Thrift Farm is not included on plans produced by Chancellor. The oldest buildings on the site appears to be the large barn and a cart-lodge, both mid-19th century in date. The construction of a large barn is unusual for the time period – mechanisation of the threshing process in the Victorian period meant farm buildings were changing and barns were less likely to be constructed. The expansion of the rest of complex of buildings can be tracked using cartographic evidence.