Kentish Express Ashford & District
Final farewell to architect who always thought of others
Family and friends of a dedicated architect who helped preserve historic buildings across Kent will say their final farewell at a funeral and memorial service tomorrow (Friday).
Maureen Lovering died on Friday, January 8, at the age of 77 and was a well known for her efforts at the Wheelbarrow Project in Clapp Hill in Aldington, and restoration work at Godinton House near Ashford and Canterbury Museum.
She had studied vernacular architecture at the University of London during the 1980s, and used her skills to write reports on how best to conserve ancient buildings and paintings, specialising in preserving medieval wall paintings.
Along with practice partner Mary Scott she helped with the restoration of Windsor Castle after it was gutted by fire, and earned praise from the Queen for her efforts.
Sister Pamela Dunn said: “Maureen was a very independent and private person who would always put on a brave face no matter what the trials and tribulations were.
“She also had the most infectious laugh, and a wonderful ability to look on the bright side of life. Her thoughts were always for other people and never for herself.”
Originally Maureen had trained as a meteorologist and worked at the Admiralty in London, before becoming a teacher at a school in Cranbrook.
She was also a mountain leader for teenagers in Wales, and a broadcaster for a radio station in Sydney in Aus-
Windsor Castle tralia where she lived with her young family and husband John during the 1970s.
Conservation architect Roger Joyce said Maureen had inspected churches for dioceses in Rochester and Canterbury.
He said: “She will be a huge loss. With Maureen what you saw is what you got. She was straightforward and very professional, and very highly regarded.
“When you got a report from her you knew it would be taken very seriously because she was very knowledgeable.”
Recently she had been working at St Eanswythe’s Church in Folkestone and was also well known at St Cosmas and St Damian in Challock.
She was also well known in Romney Marsh for leading walking and hiking groups, scout groups and helping to restore many statues churches and buildings there.
There will be a memorial service for her at Lympne Castle at 2pm tomorrow (Friday). Daffodils and spring flowers are welcomed and donations can be made to the RSPB at Dungeness.