Saxon church extension picks up prestigious award

A record number of Awards were presented at the awards by the President of the Trust, The Rt Hon Lord Egremont DL.

There were 26 Awards and 16 Highly Commended projects announced this year, recognising many fine examples of conservation, preservation and rejuvenation projects across the two counties of East and West Sussex and the city of Brighton & Hove.

Over the past 19 years Sussex Heritage Trust has presented over 350 Awards and the Awards scheme is now established as the most prestigious architectural and conservation awards programme in Sussex.

2017 winners included St James the Less Church in North Lancing in the Ecclesiastical category.

The judging team noted that “the Grade I Saxon church has had no lavatory facilities or kitchen and yet the church serves the largest populated village in the UK.

“This extension has been well considered and well-constructed using flint and Horsham stone to match existing.”

Other winners included the Community Playcentre @ Walberton (The Martin Sewell Building Company), creating a purpose-designed, sustainable community building and the conversion of the late 19th-century kennels at Goodwood into Hound Lodge (Ptolemy Dean Architects), a high quality lettable accommodation.

Chairman, Dr John Godfrey DL, who announced the Awards at the 19th annual lunch, said: “While some projects have been highly visible and well-known, others might have attracted less attention without the establishment of the Awards scheme, which the Trust now runs every year.”

“We are delighted with the response to this year’s Awards scheme, reflected in the large number of excellent entries received, and the judges’ comments confirm the high quality of much of the construction and conservation work now going on across Sussex.”