The first two sheds that will fight to be Shed of the year 2016 have been decided by the public vote.
Europe’s largest private-owned medieval reconstruction and an outdoor haven that rotates a complete 360 degrees have been announced as the first batch of winners in Cuprinol’s Shed of the Year 2016 competition.
As part of the annual celebration which honours Britain’s most spectacular sheds, the first leg of the competition pulled in a record 12,292 public votes and crowned the two spaces winners of the Historical and Unique categories respectively.
Taking home the prize for Best Historic Shed, the Anglo-Saxon inspired Wychurst Longhall, Europe’s largest privately-owned medieval reconstruction, fought off stiff competition to be crowned overall category winner on Channel 4’s ‘Amazing Spaces Shed of the Year’
Owned by Roland Williamson and friends from Kent and created entirely from English oak harvested from the county, Wychurst Longhall was constructed as a space to enjoy lavish banquets, clay pottery and other medieval-inspired activities.
Meanwhile, Bryan Lewis Jones from Denbighshire, beat three other impressive shortlisted sheds to become winner of Best Unique Shed for his Rotating Shed which follows the sun to revolve a complete 360 degrees throughout the day.
Best Historic Shed winner, Roland Williamson says: “Being part of Cuprinol Shed of the Year 2016 has been such an exciting journey and to win the Historic category is a huge honour. Wychurst Longha
ll was built by members of our Anglo-Saxon re-enactment society with the aim of creating as authentic an atmosphere as possible to carry out our hobby. The space really gives us a true sense of community where we can momentarily escape our modern selves and enjoy the medieval-style manor.”
Best Unique Shed winner, Bryan Lewis Jones says: “I’m honoured to have won the Unique Category in the Shed of the Year competition. I really didn’t expect it at all with the level of creativity and style this year being so high! The Rotating Shed, with its quirky design and high tech additions, definitely fits in with the competition which is all about celebrating the best of British sheds.”
The overall winner will be decided by a panel of shed experts including the founder of the competition Uncle Wilco (Andrew Wilcox), last year’s winner Walter Micklethwait, George Clarke and his expert team; craftsman William Hardie, architect Laura Clark and industrial designer Max McMurdo.
