Sussex Heritage Trust Awards 2021: All the winners revealed

Excellent design, architecture and craftmanship were the winners at the 2021 Sussex Heritage Trust Awards.

Thirty award-winning projects were announced at the 2021 Sussex Heritage Trust Awards on Wednesday (September 15).

Simon Knight, chairman of the Sussex Heritage Trust, presented the Awards to a sold-out ceremony and lunch at Pangdean Old Barn, Pyecombe, with guests including the High Sheriffs of East and West Sussex.

The Awards saw the inaugural announcement of the South Downs Design Award sponsored by the South Downs National Park Authority.

Belloc Close in Midhurst, a Mid-Scale Residential Award winner, won the overall Award for projects based in the South Downs. King and Drury worked closely with MH Architects to create four new homes on the site of a former ambulance station.

The judges noted: “A very exciting and well-thought-out development on a difficult brownfield site, it clearly had care and attention to details high on its list of priorities.”

This followed the announcement of nine other categories including Ecclesiastical, Commercial, Building Crafts and Residential Awards. Winners in the Public and Community category included: Catering Facilities and Classrooms at Christ’s Hospital, Horsham (submitted by NRAP Architects), the new Goodwood Education Centre (submitted by SMD Construction Consultancy), Shelter Hall in Brighton (submitted by R H Partnership Architects Limited) and Unity, the sculpture of a nurse on East Street in Chichester by stainless steel fabricator, John Gillespie.

Worthing based architect, ECE Architecture won a Sussex Heritage Trust Award for Ropemakers Academy in Hailsham– famed historically as a centre for the making of string and rope, Hailsham is now home to this sensational, modern building, housing a school for children and young people with special needs. The judging team said: “The care taken by the funders, the client and the architect to ensure that the needs of the young people were met in the design of the building is most impressive and we congratulate all those involved.”

Architect, Jane Jones-Warner of Jane Jones-Warner Associates was announced as the 2021 Sussex Heritage Person of the Year, sponsored by Harvey’s Brewery.

Chairman, Simon Knight said: “There is no doubt Jane’s extraordinary contribution to heritage in Sussex with a career spanning 30 years focusing on building conservation. Her passion began at Uppark in West Sussex, where she was based on-site for three years following their devastating fire in 1989. More recently Jane was the project architect at Grade II* listed West Dean College for their extensive conservation roof repair project. I am absolutely delighted to recognise Jane’s career and passion for heritage by acknowledging her as Sussex Heritage Person of the Year.”

Three private homes also received an Award in the Small Scale Residential category including Sanderlings (submitted by Victoria Holland Architects, Burpham) and North Street, Chichester (submitted by DLS:ARCH, Chichester) – a Grade II listed building dating back to 1760 which was restored and converted into retail units and a four-bed apartment.

Two Chichester-based craftsmen received Building Crafts Awards for high quality work using traditional skills.

Gary Shepherd from Shepherd & Grantham Stonemasons was recognised for his stonework at St George’s Church in Donnington.

The Royal on The Esplanade in Bognor Regis achieved a highly commended certificate for its ambitious and extensive regeneration of the old hotel to 27 contemporary architect-designed apartments and a new restaurant.

The commendations went to architect, Randell Design Group in Birdham, contractors, King & Drury Construction in Chichester and developer, Metamorph Management in West Ashling.

There was one awards winner in Arundel, a Grade II listed property The Walled Garden (submitted by architects, ABIR Architects) – a part-family dwelling and part antiques galleries, which saw the sensitive extension to the family dwelling.

The judges said; “a beautifully crafted scheme, elegantly conceived and the product of an excellent project team – a client with an artistic eye and clarity of vision resulting in a hidden gem.”

Arundel also saw two highly commended certificates including the 14th-century Grade I ‘at risk’ St Nicholas Church (submitted by PCC Trustee John Morrison, architect, Jane Jones-Warner Associates) – three nationally important wall paintings were preserved during roof replacement work.

There were two craftsman Awards for Luke Ayling, an oak timber framer from Nicholls Countryside Construction, for his hand-crafted oak framing at Mount Farm, Pulborough and Anthony Riggall for the restoration of Drew’s Barn in Horsham.

Both Mount Farm and Drew’s Barn further achieved an Award in the Commercial and Small-Scale residential categories. Drew’s Barn (submitted by Warnham Park Deer Farms) – a 350-year-old traditional oak Sussex barn which was dismantled and replacement timbers crafted from green-oak milled from die-back trees within the park. Mount Farm (submitted Nicholls Countryside Construction Limited) – a Grade II listed house which was repurposed and extended to include a newly built barn with attached pool.

Further Awards were presented to: Gravetye Manor Gardens Restoration, East Grinstead (submitted by Gravetye Manor) – a 30-acre historic garden and hotel restoration; Coneyhurst Farm, Billingshurst (submitted by Nicholls Countryside Construction Limited) – a 16th-century Grade II listed building refurbished and extended; and, Catering Facilities and Classrooms at Christ’s Hospital, Horsham (submitted by NRAP Architects, Cambridge). The Sussex Heritage Trust judging team commented on Christ’s Hospital award: “the replacement of the old kitchen block with state-of-the-art catering and teaching facilities has resulted in the achievement of a beautiful modern building that, in form and materials, is in harmony with its historic surroundings.”

Chairman, Simon Knight said: "“There is no doubt the extraordinary contribution the Awards have achieve to heritage and good design in East and West Sussex and Brighton and Hove. Congratulations to all the 2021 Sussex Heritage Trust Award winners and highly commended projects and the new South Downs Design Award winner.”

For more information, visit www.sussexheritagetrust.org.uk

The full list of winners:

Winners

Building Craft Award

Anthony Riggall for restoration of Drew’s Barn, Warnham Park, Horsham

Gary Shepherd, Shepherd & Grantham Stonemasons Ltd for work to St George’s Church, Donnington

Liam O’Neill, Lion Roofing for work to West Lodge, Seaford College, Petworth

Luke Ayling for work to Mount Farm, Pulborough

Commercial Award

Alexander House, Ashdown Business Park, Uckfield

Drew’s Barn, Warnham Park, Horsham

West Wittering Beach Café

Ecclesiastical Award

All Saints Church, Patcham

St George’s Church, Donnington

Landscape and Gardens Award

Gravetye Manor Gardens Restoration, East Grinstead

Mid-Scale Residential Award

Belloc Close, Midhurst

Regent Street, Brighton

The Dower House, East Grinstead

Public and Community Award

Catering Facilities and Classrooms, Christ’s Hospital, Horsham

Ropemakers Academy, Hailsham

Shelter Hall, Brighton

The Goodwood Education Centre, Goodwood

Unity by John Gillespie, Chichester( John Gillespie received judges’ special commendation for craftsmanship)

Small Scale Residential Award

Compton House, Compton

Coneyhurst Farm, Billingshurst

Landour, Telscombe

Manor Farmhouse, Newhaven

Mount Farm, Pulborough

North Street, Chichester

Pond Cottage, Alfriston

Sanderlings, Itchenor

The Walled Garden, Arundel

Tin Tarbernacle, Barcombe

The Sussex Heritage Person of the Year

Jane Jones-Warner

The South Downs Design Award

Belloc Close, Midhurst

Highly Commended

Building Crafts Highly Commended

Jenna Burrell and Ana Logreira, Cliveden Conservation for conservation of an early 17th-century lime plaster ceiling, Hotter Shoes, Chichester

Liam O’Neill, Lion Roofing for work to Woodend Clock Tower, Clock House, West Stoke

Commercial Highly Commended

Merrydown Business Park, Horam, Heathfield

Ecclesiastical Highly Commended

St Nicholas Church, Arundel

The Church of St Mary the Virgin Fabric Repairs, Upwaltham

Vihara Building, West Sussex

Landscape & Gardens Highly Commended

Blue Doors Lodge, South Stoke, Arundel

Conservation and Refurbishment of Gazebo, West Dean Gardens

Riverhill House, Petworth

Large Scale Residential Highly Commended

Dundee House, Midhurst

The Royal, Bognor Regis

Mid-Scale Residential Highly Commended

Chidfield Barn, Petworth

Smiths Yard, Ditchling

Public and Community Highly Commended

Fittleworth Community Shop, Café and Post Office, Fittleworth

New Learning & Resources Centre, Lorica Trust, Washington

Small Scale Residential Highly Commended

Abbots Barn, Ripe

Lurgashall Village Shop, Lurgashall

Old Cowman’s Cottage, Mayfield

Parrock Place, Hartfield

Prinsted Grange, Prinsted

West Barn, Wepham

Young Street, Chichester

The South Downs Design Award Highly Commended

Landour, Telscombe

The Goodwood Education Centre, Goodwood