Barnston Manor
Preserving Dorset's heritage
As one of the oldest houses in Dorset, 700-year-old Grade I listed Barnston Manor was in need of careful structural remedial work. To repair and restore the building in a way that would both serve its owner’s needs and carry its significance for generations to come, we delivered a structural design guided by the fundamental principles of conservation.
Such considerate structural detailing and design assisted the appointed architect to obtain listed building approval for the proposed works.
Project Lead
Project Team
- Location Dorset
- Completion 2023
Conservation above all
We approached the historic fabric with a view to sympathetically repairing and strengthening the timber floor structures, providing light-touch, practical solutions. Localised additions, pinning and splicing ensured we maintained as much of the original materials as possible while extending the life of the historic floors without loss or impact to their character.
Subtle additions
Intrusive additions around the living room and kitchen areas were carefully reversed, reinstating the historic layout of the house. A new opening in the kitchen space improved circulation and allowed easy access to the outbuildings. To fulfil the architectural vision for well-considered and sympathetic additions, we designed a structurally elegant and seamlessly integrated link structure between the main house and the outbuilding.
In the latter, we also delivered underground drainage systems to solve long-standing water ingress and moisture problems.
A feat of collaboration
Barnston Manor has been a successful example of collaborative work between the owner, the Architect and our team. The carefully crafted structural designs resulted in a robust, well-maintained historic property safeguarded for many more generations.
