ECCLESIASTICAL

We have a long and wide-ranging track record in working with churches of various denominations on their building projects.
We have experience as Conservation Architects, working on Listing buildings of all Grades including those with Grade I listing.
One of the original partners of the firm, Chris Lelliott, was particularly involved in this area and following his sad demise in 1994, we continued the work he had started and are to this day, still involved in a wide variety of church projects.

Sourcing funding for these community projects is a massive challenge, and this is an area that we can help you with.
We have seen many mixed development schemes with churches, in which the construction of new church buildings is made possible by the disposal of parts of a site for commercial development.

Many of the projects have involved the improvement and extension of buildings, updating the style and range of accommodation offerred and very often, improving and redesigning the entrance areas of older buildings to create a more open and welcoming effect.

We continue to undertake Quinquennial conditions surveys for churches across the country and mainly in the South East of England. We have worked with Anglican churches in the London and Oxford Diocese, many Baptist churches, the Seventh Day Adventist Church organisation and also with many of the Methodist Circuits.

ECCLESIASTICAL

The Cornerstone Parish Centre in Wokingham

Parish securing their presence in the town centre

The scheme was for the Parish of All Saints in Wokingham.
The site was to be in the churchyard of the Listed parish church building, positioned within the Wokingham Town Centre Conservation Area.
The Parish were thoroughly involved in the development of the detail of the design for the new building, now named ‘The Cornerstone’.

The building provides three times the area of floor space in the original building which it has replaced.
A large and sub-dividable Hall is the main focus at ground floor level with ancillary and office accommodation attached. On the first floor, there is a range of meeting rooms and office accommodation used by both the Parish and also a range of community-focussed groups and organisations.
The scheme won the Wokingham Major’s Design Award on completion.

Click on the images
Click on the images
The scheme was for the Parish of All Saints in Wokingham.
The site was to be in the churchyard of the Listed parish church building, positioned within the Wokingham Town Centre Conservation Area.
The Parish were thoroughly involved in the development of the detail of the design for the new building, now named ‘The Cornerstone’.

The building provides three times the area of floor space in the original building which it has replaced.
A large and sub-dividable Hall is the main focus at ground floor level with ancillary and office accommodation attached. On the first floor, there is a range of meeting rooms and office accommodation used by both the Parish and also a range of community-focussed groups and organisations.
The scheme won the Wokingham Major’s Design Award on completion.

ECCLESIASTICAL

St James Church, Finchampstead

Reordering and refurbishment of a Grade I Listed Parish church

Click on the images
Very extensive works were completed at St James’ Church following a long period of careful planning by the Parish.
The building is a very attractive, Grade I Listed Parish church.
The Parish have implemented a sensitive and thorough scheme, both to repair and discreetly update the building.
The historic structure suffered from damp ingress, timber decay and other issues.
In the project, the floor was reconstructed in its entirety using limecrete. Cement-based plaster was removed and replaced inside the church with lime plaster.
The roof tiles were completely removed in stages, and the roof timbers repaired before retiling with handmade clay tiles in the traditional way.

The interior has been re finished and has new furnishings installed. A new AV system has been discreetly introduced.

The scheme was built by the Maidenhead contractors, Farr & Roberts Ltd.

ECCLESIASTICAL

St Matthew’s Church in Fulham

The first new London Anglican church in 2000, funded by site development

The first new London Anglican church in 2000, funded by site development
Originally on the site of St Matthew’s Church was the large Victorian Church building and an equally extensive Victorian Hall Building and the buildings were no longer suitable for use by the Parish, being unaffordable to maintain.
We were able to source a developer willing to develop the site afresh, providing the new church building and seven Affordable Houses to the rear.
The church building itself provides a new Worship Area, Hall and Meeting rooms are all positioned around a central foyer area and accessed through the corner tower entrance, all on a single level.
Click on the images
Click on the images
The first new London Anglican church in 2000, funded by site development
Originally on the site of St Matthew’s Church was the large Victorian Church building and an equally extensive Victorian Hall Building and the buildings were no longer suitable for use by the Parish, being unaffordable to maintain.
We were able to source a developer willing to develop the site afresh, providing the new church building and seven Affordable Houses to the rear.
The church building itself provides a new Worship Area, Hall and Meeting rooms are all positioned around a central foyer area and accessed through the corner tower entrance, all on a single level.
ECCLESIASTICAL

Christ Church in Thame

Resolving restricted access at the front of a historic church

Click on the images
Christ Church faces directly onto the market square in Thame and is a historic church building within the Conservation Area.
Originally there was only a single flight of steps leading to the entrance which was very restrictive.
Together, we reconfigured the front portion of the building both inside and out.
The main floor level inside the building front, was dropped to pavement level and a new, level-access entrance created by extending the building. Once inside, the change in floor levels can be negotiated by a new platform lift, or by a new and shallower stairway.
A coffee shop now operates within the newly created foyer area.
ECCLESIASTICAL

Christchurch, Chineham

An Ecumenical Project in Basingstoke

The project is a large extension to the original hall building. The hall had been built in the 1980’s and in the distinctive shape of a quarter-pyramid.
Our decision together was to create a new wing, connected to the existing hall by a new and central entrance within a circular tower.
The project provided a new Worship Area, flexible meeting room spaces, ancillary accommodation and generous circulation and ‘spill-out’ areas to accommodate large numbers.
Importantly, the scheme was designed to be zero-rated for VAT, creating a significant saving for the client.
The project is a large extension to the original hall building. The hall had been built in the 1980’s and in the distinctive shape of a quarter-pyramid.
Our decision together was to create a new wing, connected to the existing hall by a new and central entrance within a circular tower.
The project provided a new Worship Area, flexible meeting room spaces, ancillary accommodation and generous circulation and ‘spill-out’ areas to accommodate large numbers.
Importantly, the scheme was designed to be zero-rated for VAT, creating a significant saving for the client.
ECCLESIASTICAL

St Mary’s Church, White Waltham

New Parish Rooms : The ‘Tree House’ Project

This small scheme, creating new Parish rooms in the Parish of St Mary in White Waltham, is well-known locally.
The new building is positioned in the churchyard of the Listed Parish Church, within the Greenbelt and in an area classified as ‘Countryside’ and so this was a unique Planning Consent to achieve.
The Parish have then raised significant funds for the construction over a period of several years of hard work and the scheme has now been built by the firm Adams & Wade in Maidenhead to a high standard, suited to the setting of the building.
The scheme was opened by Theresa May MP.
https://www.oxford.anglican.org/opening-the-tree-house-in-white-waltham/.

ECCLESIASTICAL

Christchurch, Dulwich

Opening up a prominent, but closed frontage

In its original design, the Victorian church in Dulwich once had a very closed appearance.
Frustrating, as the church has a vibrant life and offers a full range of activities across the week;
but these were only accessible through two pairs of solid oak doors and the only access into the building was by two sets of steps.

Christ Church now, comprises a United Reformed Church, and a Methodist Church congregation combined.
The project we undertook involved a complete redesign of the frontage.
The whole of the lower front wall was removed, new structure inserted and the building extended out into a fully glazed frontage area which incorporates a new, glazed entranceway now accessible by a gradual ramp.

The completed scheme was opened by the interior designer, Linda Barker.

In its original design, the Victorian church in Dulwich once had a very closed appearance.
Frustrating, as the church has a vibrant life and offers a full range of activities across the week;
but these were only accessible through two pairs of solid oak doors and the only access into the building was by two sets of steps.

Christ Church now, comprises a United Reformed Church, and a Methodist Church congregation combined.
The project we undertook involved a complete redesign of the frontage.
The whole of the lower front wall was removed, new structure inserted and the building extended out into a fully glazed frontage area which incorporates a new, glazed entranceway now accessible by a gradual ramp.

The completed scheme was opened by the interior designer, Linda Barker.

ECCLESIASTICAL

Eastney Central Hall

A new church building, funded by site development

The illustrations show the new Eastney Methodist Mission Centre, a scheme which was developed on the site of the original Methodist Central Hall in tandem with a scheme for residential development which largely funded the building of the new church.
The old Methodist Central Hall, typical of its type, was an extensive complex which had become too expensive to maintain.
The new church building is an attractive design with accommodation on two floor levels. This maximised the adjoining residential development which generated funding, and the church building itself is efficient and economical to run.
In common with all of our church schemes, we designed the building, to reduce ongoing maintenance and repairs costs.