Award-winning designs celebrated at annual Sussex Heritage Awards
Projects from Billingshurst, Horsham, and Warnham picked up awards or were highly commended
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 included: two craftsman Awards for Luke Ayling, an oak timber framer from Nicholls Countryside Construction, for his handcrafted 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-ofthe-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.”
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.”
Other category winners included Ropemakers Academy in Hailsham (submitted by ECE Architecture), 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.
Chairman, Simon Knight added: “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 a full list of all Award winners and Highly Commended projects go to www.sussexheritagetrust.org. uk
There is no doubt the extraordinary contribution the Awards have achieved to heritage and good design in Sussex
SIMON KNIGHT Chairman of the
Sussex Heritage Trust