The rules surrounding alterations to listed properties have long presented a difficult balancing act. On the one hand, we rightly want to protect the historic character and fabric of our older properties. On the other, those properties still have to function as homes in the 21st century. However, that balance may now be beginning to shift. I've written about this shift in direction in a previous post when Historic England released its advice notice on energy and carbon effici

Owners of listed properties are frequently told that their timber windows need replacing. Rotten sills, peeling paint, or draughty frames can make original windows appear beyond saving. However, in many cases repairing timber windows in listed buildings is not only possible, but preferable. Across West Sussex, where historic cottages, Georgian houses and timber-framed properties are common, original windows form an important part of a building’s historic character. Conservati

My local church, St Mary’s, has stood at the heart of Billingshurst for over 900 years. With its soaring tower, graceful stone arches, flagstone floor, and stained glass windows, it’s a striking example of English ecclesiastical architecture — and a truly atmospheric place to visit. But it’s not just the grandeur inside that tells a story. Walking around the church’s exterior, you’ll notice areas of beautiful pink lime mortar, studded with flint, shell, and local stone. Look

A Reminder of Why Building Conservation Matters I recently had the opportunity to visit St. Botolph's Church in Hardham – a quiet, unassuming building nestled in the countryside, and home to one of the most complete sets of early medieval wall paintings in England. St. Botolph's Church - home to the earliest set of complete wall painting in England Walking into the church is like stepping back nearly a thousand years. The frescoes, dating from around 1100 AD, cover the nave w

Handmade clay tile producers are helping to keep our listed property roofing heritage alive.

I attended The Listed Property Show recently, which offers a pretty comprehensive programme designed for owners, professionals, and...

When it comes to heritage building materials, lime plaster is often favoured due to its breathability, durability, and low carbon...

Management and regular maintenance of your listed property reduces the need for infrequent, but potentially much larger repairs.

If you're planning repairs to a listed building, it's important to establish whether Listed Building Consent (LBC) is required before work begins. Consent is generally needed for alterations, extensions or demolition that affect the building's special architectural or historic interest. Routine maintenance and genuine like-for-like repairs will often not require consent, provided they do not affect the building's special interest. However, the distinction between a repair and

Can double glazing be installed in a listed building? It's a question frequently asked by owners looking to improve the energy efficiency and comfort of their homes without compromising their historic character. Historic England's guidance on energy and carbon efficiency in historic buildings provides a useful framework for considering improvements such as double glazing, while recognising the importance of preserving the architectural and historic significance of older prope

I visited a beautiful listed property to look at making repairs to a roof balcony, which is leaking into the room below. The balcony...

Matching the colour of new lime mortar to existing historic mortar can be an important part of achieving a sympathetic repair. The level of accuracy required depends on the significance of the building and how closely the repair needs to replicate the original. For particularly important properties, such as Grade I listed buildings, professional analysis may be appropriate to identify the original aggregates (sands) and their proportions, allowing a replacement mortar to be p

I recently completed a repair to the gable end of a beautiful timber-framed listed property near Pulborough, where water was finding its way into the building through the exposed brickwork and around the end of an oak roof plate. The problem had manifested itself as damp on an internal wall in the stairwell. Previous attempts to resolve the leak had involved creating a rubble infill, originally bedded in lime mortar but subsequently repointed in cement. There were also traces

I recently visited Lambs Brickworks at Pitsham, near Midhurst, to collect some special bricks for an upcoming project. I was looking for handmade plinth bricks – a less common brick shape with a chamfered edge that allows rainwater to run off where the thickness of a wall changes. Finding suitable bricks for traditional building repairs isn't always straightforward. I had originally tried to source reclaimed examples, but they're as rare as hens' teeth. So, rather than compro

Many listed property owners will be able to tell you immediately where they keep theirs. Under the stairs, in the corner of the living...

Quite a few of the houses I see have some element of wattle and daub construction within them and so I thought I'd write a little bit...

Lime mortar has been used as a building material for thousands of years and is found in most listed properties in the UK. There is plenty...

Improving thermal efficiency in heritage properties is a very big topic and one which is of particular interest to listed property...

Having spent most of my working life behind a desk, I decided I needed a change.