The Latest News from our Blog

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Design & Completion of New Church Choir Stalls

Detail of front of new choir stalls.
Side detail of new choir stalls
One member of choir in situ
View of reconfigured front stalls and new rear
View of Nave with choir stalls front and centre

In order to modernise the choir stalls at this Darley Abbey Church, we were asked – as long-running Church Architects – to reconfigure the existing design.

The requirements of the congregation had changed in recent years, with wheelchair accessibility a key factor in making the church choir area as open as possible.

The existing choir stalls were long individual structures, which we split into easier to move sections with new end panels. We introduced new rows to a complementary design. The stalls were carefully cut and re-constructed in their ‘bite-size’ sections, and the new stalls were constructed from scratch using quality materials. The new stalls and new sections were then varnished to match.

We worked through all RIBA Work Stages, including contract managing the works during construction, working with a reputable joinery-centric Contractor.

We are pleased to say that the congregation are delighted with the new choir stalls, and we have received nothing but positive words regarding them.

See our recent post regarding a truss repair project to a church we have been involved with here.

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High Ceiling, Open Plan Extension to Home in Construction

View through new driveway entrance.
View toward opening for large aluminium door-set.
Rear view of construction.
Blair Gratton Architects sign on show.

One of our current projects in construction is the rear extension to a home in Lichfield in Staffordshire. Designed by ourselves at Blair Gratton Architects, the project has been on site for several weeks now and is beginning to take shape.

The Clients have employed us as their Architect in order to administer the building contract with their chosen contractor. This provides independent professional input at all stages of the project, rather than a direct relationship. It also ensures that the quality of the build is upheld and prevents shortcuts from being made during the process.

The job of us as Architects is to problem solve, maintain quality, confirm payment values, and issue instructions.

We have taken it through all RIBA Stages of Work so far, from survey, through to the planning process and achieving approval, followed by building regulations approval.

The existing lounge and kitchen sit at the back of the house. The rear extension intends to link both – with the removal of the rear wall of the house on the ground floor through use of structural steelwork – to create a large open-plan kitchen-dining-living space. Alterations to the position of walls will improve the flow of the ground floor.

The couple have their minds on interior design and the high ceiling in the new extension will allow for a feature light fitting.

There is to be a new sliding-folding aluminium door-set and wide aluminium window to the rear garden, and, complimented by the 2 Large lantern lights above, natural light will be brought into the room in abundance

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Barn Conversion to Family Home out in the Derbyshire Countryside

View of ‘porthole’ feature window.
View down slope of barn with ‘potholes’ above each doorway.
View along barn with end staircase.
Looking below first floor.
First floor with joists revealed.
View through passageway.
View out from passageway.

We were appointed as Architects and asked to by our Clients to help the conversion of their barn. Their dream was a family home in the peaceful Derbyshire countryside, retaining the buildings large, agricultural, red-brick qualities.

Built in the 1800’s, the barn was a milking parlour and storage in its former life, as part of a collection of properties on a working country farm. The barn itself was named ‘Porthole Barn’, due to the characterful portholes which pierced the walls. The brickwork uniquely coursed with the sloped landscape.

The pictures show the beautiful colours of the brick and textures of the ‘built-to-last’ materiality of the barn.

We began by undertaking a conditioning survey to pick out significant areas of repair – as Conservation accredited Architects, this was well within our range of expertise. We then formulated a scheme which met our Client’s requirements, converting the property into a family home, with glazed gable and new sunken garage link alongside.

We successfully achieved planning permission with our design, and followed this up with obtaining building regulations plans appraisal.

Working closely with a specialist conservation engineer to tackle a number of challenges which presented themselves, the building was stabilised and the first floor made usable.

We worked from RIBA Work Stages 0-5, with the project drawings and information fully prepared for construction. The Clients undertook management of the build themselves.

We were delighted to be part of turning this characterful property from building with no use, to a loved family home.

Why not arrange a consultation with us if you have a similar project you wish to get moving.

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Quinquennial Inspection and Truss Repair Project to Derbyshire Church

As Church Architect to this Grade II Listed Chapel in Chesterfield we prepared a written detailed report on the condition of the building. During the inspection a broken truss was identified above the main Chapel. We detailed and managed the works from start to finish advising the Church Wardens and instructing the contractor.
Architects Quinquennial Inspection revealed view toward balcony of sagging ceiling.
View toward balcony of sagging ceiling.
Truss noticeably sagging.
Cause of sag discovered.
Scaffolding in place.
Ceiling integrity preserved.

We have been carrying out Quinquennial Inspections (5-year mandatory inspections) of churches for many decades, through the experience of Architects John Gratton and now Simon Gratton. We were appointed to carry out a Quinquennial inspection of a church in Calow, Derbyshire, and noticed something amiss when entering the Nave – the ceiling was sagging where the central truss sat.

Working with a conservation experienced contractor, we removed a portion of the ceiling to investigate. Scaffolding was erected carefully.

It was revealed the bottom chord of the truss had fallen away from the central post, destabilising the structural integrity of the truss and putting the roof at risk of collapse.

Working with a specialist conservation engineer, we proposed a solution to freeze the truss in place, stabilise it, and halt any further movement.

The pictures above show the truss when first opened up, the post clearly losing connection with the chord. We worked closely with the church and contractor to manage the project, get the solution in place, and allow the Church to return to normal services with the knowledge that their ceiling wasn’t close to falling down. All parties were pleased with the results.