June News

June is prime building time and we are in full swing this month visiting the exciting projects on-site which are completing this summer and doing heaps of new initial visits to some beautiful houses and historic structures. Here is a taster of what we’ve been up to.

• We are thrilled to confirm that three of ‘our’ church projects have been awarded Certificates by the Diocesan Advisory Committee in their Design Awards 2013:- 

• Winning top honours with a ‘Highly Commended’: The large Grade II Listed church of St. John the Baptist, Leytonstone won, for the redecoration/repair works. We designed and scheduled these and the building work was undertaken by Lodge & Sons, with specialist paintwork by Howell & Bellion. The project’s focus was to open up the tall tower of this lovely church to welcome tourists to come to their sunset tours of London’s skyline. Visitors can now come and climb the tower to witness the breath-taking panoramic views of London from the top.

• Also winning top honours: The beautiful Grade II Listed church, St. Mary the Virgin, Radwinter, was awarded ‘Highly Commended’ for the insertion of an all-person toilet, kitchenette, flower arranger’s sink , storage, repairs to Vestry cast-iron fireplace and alterations and repairs to windows. The design incorporated a carved oak panelling with a crocus flower motif. It also included bespoke hand-painted delft tiles depicting scenes of the village.

• Winning a special merit award: The Church of All Saints, Great Chesterford won for the design & construction of the new a meeting room in the South East chapel area.  The judges agreed ‘this was a successful reuse of wasted space with great thought given to relocating and glazing the screen in the church without removing it from the church altogether.  Good attention to detail which enhances the building and provides much needed community facilities'.

• The contemporary extension onto the service wing of an important C.16th Grade I listed large country house in Suffolk is complete by Rose builders, with some finishing off just left and the external works. We have designed the facade with 3m tall bi-fold glazing doors and fixed screens on the side, which provides astounding panoramic views over the rolling Suffolk fields. Specialist Plasterers, G Cook & Son, are also doing the lime repairs to the quoin work round the brick windows on the C.16th two storey Gatehouse. The external works are now taking shape having been designed by the renowned landscape Designer, George Carter.

• We have been busy visiting the works to a C.16th Hall house & courthouse in Essex. R.J.Hogg have been decorating the interiors and Robbie Cannon is making the metal casements for the courthouse mullioned windows.

•  We're back at Little Chesterford Church this month with Lodge & Sons Builders undertaking repairs to the Vestry of this lovely 13^th Century Early English Church following our Quinquennial report. 

• We're currently doing the final fit-out to the Heritage Lottery & EH funded Finchingfield Guildhall project. The interactive audio visual museum which incorporates the very latest museum design by Smith & Jones has been installed and the joiner is making the new library shelving which we have designed and is inspired by the original village library made by a local craftmans in the 50s, we’ve also designed some fun unicorns, dragons, knights, aliens, robots, fairies & princesses into the kids shelving. Finally we have done a display cabinet for the library’s collection of Dodie Smith books. Dodie, who wrote 101 Dalmatians, lived in the village.

• Planning permission is in for a Farmhouse in Essex. Having research the original drawings and following a pre-app, the final design reinstates the original C17th core which is still present. There are new additions and extensions which are inspired by the original features to create a new entrance cross wing and side wing overlooking the woods.  The old wash-houses are being converted and connected.

• The detailed construction drawing package is underway for the exciting renovation works to a Grade II Listed C.17^th/C.18^th former rectory in Hertfordshire.  This is due to go out to tender at the end of July.  This includes the design of new electrics and heating system with a new attic stair to match the elegant Georgian staircase on the ground floor.

• We currently have a pre-application in with Uttlesford to obtain their response to the conversion of two adjoining barns in Essex. One barn is a very old C.15^th Century oak structure and the design approach for this building is to use traditional craftsmanship and materials to convert this building to an annex by exposing and reinstating the ancient features. The other barn is attached, but built later in C17th and is to be used as a workshop for the owners company and we have done a more modern design for this conversion on this barn, incorporating metal framed glazing slices through the cladding exposing the structure and a mezzanine at one end.

• The tender is out to three contractors for an extension to a Grade II* C.16^th large farmhouse in Hertfordshire. Inspired by the original architecture, the new study and ancillary rooms will be built with an exposed solid oak frame with red brick infill panels and leaded light windows. The little brewhouse is also being converted. 

• Planning permission is in for the extension to a Grade II listed, Arts & Crafts house in Essex. The design is for a new Day/Breakfast Room on the side of the Kitchen.

• Initial Interior Design Concept Design Boards & sketches for are underway for a playroom and bedrooms in a C19th house in Essex. The Architectural concept design is also being produced at the same time for the new Kitchen & Garden room extensions.

• The Gatehouse at Pleshey House of Retreat is almost due for Final Completion, and is functioning much better.  We fitted en-suite shower room and a new kitchen to provide better accommodation. The next phase of this project will shortly go out to tender. This is for a new Orangery, which incorporates a green roof. We are also building a new accessible bedroom.

• Concept Proposal designs are underway for the restoration and extension of a Grade II listed farmhouse in Cambridgeshire.  The C17^th house will be repaired, thermally upgraded and extended to form a new Orangery.  With elegant sash windows, tall French doors and vaulted ceilings, the Orangery will provide a beautiful addition to an already desirable home.

•  Concept Proposal designs are underway for the refurbishment and extension of two timber frame Grade II Listed C17^th agricultural workers’ cottages in Essex, following a successful meeting with the conservation officer on-site.  

• Together with Lodges, we are installing a new floor in the vestry of the pretty little church of St. Mary the Virgin, Little Chesterford.

•  The Quinquennial inspections have been undertaken, and the Quinquennial Reports are being compiled for The Church of All Saints, Woodford Wells and St Michael & All Angels, Galleywood.

•  An Estimate of cost for the Big Project at St. Michael and All Angels, Galleywood is currently underway following our feasibility study.

• The new accessible WC & Kitchen at Widdington Church has been completed with some small works to a window left to do.