Sussex Heritage Trust awards recognise projects in Littlehampton area

Winners of the awards, sponsored by Irwin Mitchell, were announced on Wednesday, July 10, at the Grade I-listed Lancing College Chapel.

The awards celebrated high-quality conservation and restoration as well as the good design of newly built projects, and encourage the use of traditional skills and crafts.

This year marked a record-breaking milestone for the awards, with 94 entries all visited by the Sussex Heritage Trust judging teams resulting in 37 award plaques and 31 ‘highly commended’ certificates. Special awards were given to projects in the South Downs National Park and projects recognising excellence in sustainability, biodiversity and energy efficiency.

The Mile House, in Amberley, achieved a special award in the South Downs Award category for its approach to sustainability while ensuring a design-led process. The South Downs National Park judging team praised architect Charles Meloy, from Meloy Architecture, for his ‘innovative approach with the design massing and detailing of the building sitting comfortably in the landscape’.

There were a number of award-winning and highly commended projects in the Littlehampton area across ten categories, ranging from residential schemes to public and community buildings to commercial projects. Each winning project was presented with a hand-crafted slate plaque by the trust’s president, Lord Egremont.

Heritage roofer Liam O’Neill from Chichester-based, Lion Roofing, won a Building Crafts Award, sponsored by Pilbeam Construction, for the reroof of the north-facing slope of St John’s Priory in Poling, near Arundel. The Sussex Heritage Trust’s judging team described Liam as a ‘true professional’, rewarding his craftsmanship on the basis of three skills: clay tiling, leadwork and Horsham stonework.

There were four ‘highly commended’ certificates for the Littlehampton area. The Black Horse in Climping, submitted by James Wells Architects and King & Drury Construction, is a Grade II-listed pub dating back to the 17th century. Rescued by Historic Sussex Hotels, the building saw a comprehensive refurbishment project including a new build green oak frame extension.

Further certificates were presented to Weavers Cottage, a Grade II-listed cottage in Angmering, submitted by Victoria Holland Architecture; Hazel Close in Walberton, submitted by MH Architects, for the nine individually designed homes complemented by a winding lane and ‘village green’ and the Stable Yard in Arundel, submitted by Martin Sewell Building Company.

The Sussex Heritage Trust’s chairman, David Cowan, said: “It seems fitting that we have been able to present the awards this year in the beautiful surroundings of Lancing College Chapel – a recipient of numerous Awards. Within this Grade I building, we have been able to celebrate excellence in heritage while also honouring the importance that sustainability and design offer our county. Congratulations to all our Award-winning and Highly Commended projects in the 2024 Sussex Heritage Trust Awards, and my grateful thanks to all our sponsors, in particular our headline supporter Irwin Mitchell.”

Details of all the 2024 Sussex Heritage Trust Awards can be found at www.sussexheritagetrust.org.uk

Sponsors included: NFU Mutual Chichester and Horsham, Gravetye Manor, Savills, Henry Adams, Valley Builders, South Downs National Park Authority, Cowans Architects, Covers, Harvey’s Brewery, Kreston Reeves, Lawson Commercial, Pilbeam Construction, RH and RW Clutton and Toovey’s Auctioneers.