The roof was thatched until destroyed by fire around 1910.
The Benedictine Priory was built in 1010 as a twin sister to the Priory in Bernay, France.
Working closely with Suffolk Archaeology, we have charted the origins of the building and carefully respected the medieval structures.
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Our scheme to restore and enhance the harmonious setting and natural environment.
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The first task was to remove the steel shelter and repair broken brickwork. This is before... after is below.
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R&J Hogg went to work on clearing the way to the rebuild.
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The concrete milking parlour was added in the 70's and deemed to be of no architectural value although it was listed by being attached to the Scheduled monument!
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The huge area of cattle sheds were dismanteled and used to build the structure of the timber extension and vegetable garden.
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Tons of concrete was crushed and reused for foundations of new buildings.
As well as professional builders, the whole family put a lot of work into the project!
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James the Digger was amazingly flexible and we installed the ground source heating system in the water meadows.
Something had to give! We extended and insulated the milking parlour to create the second floor bedrooms.
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The skylight was an essential feature in bringing the light into the dark space.
Of course, it was not straightforward as we found rotten timbers and crumbling structures.
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This is a small part of the detailed work and specifications we prepared with English Heritage. Laura was a saint!
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