By the early 1960s vast numbers of historic buildings had been destroyed or demolished throughout the country. Wars, taxation and wanton neglect contributed to this vandalism coupled with the need to develop (or redevelop) urban and country areas alike. There were few Societies or people to speak up to defend their heritage and the listing system was in its infancy.

The need arose for urgent action. Hertfordshire was in the forefront of forming Building Preservation Trusts and the Hertfordshire Building Preservation Trust was constituted on December 3rd 1963. The first Directors set out in good faith and determination to ‘preserve buildings of architectural and historic importance in Hertfordshire’ This remains the Trust’s core objective and as a charity it has attracted the services of local authorities and a great number of dedicated people who have devoted time, determination, and ingenuity to preserve the past for the future.

BEAMS Ltd is the trading company of the Hertfordshire Building Preservation Trust and was set up in 1993 to offer a range of specialist skills in managing the historic environment to assist Local Authorities, architects, historic building owners and others within Hertfordshire and beyond.
Any profits earned by BEAMS are passed to the Trust for use in maintaining the Listed buildings it has rescued.