The Old Manor
Sussex
2016
Reimagining a grade 2 listed house
The Old Manor is the extension and remodelling of a 16th century listed manor house in Sussex for a retired couple. The project creates an expanded living space, a new reception room, a larger kitchen in a glazed extension box. As well as a workshop in a former out building, together with an extended bedroom and bathroom on the first floor.
Material and memory
A cherry tree felled from the client’s previous garden was used throughout the new design. As full height strip handles in the external doors and to create an open tread hanging staircase connecting the reception space to the first floor bedrooms.
Other timber elements came from cedar planks which were burnt on site, with copper strips used as push plates, slowly weathering and changing colour over time. Whilst leaving a memory of their use in the hand marks left.
Improved thermal performance
The new building elements and the restoration of the original house have increased the building’s thermal performance, saving energy whilst also bringing the home up to modern standards of living.
Workshop doors made from bunrt cedar with copper and cherry door handle.
The rear garden with workshop (left) and glazed kitchen extension (centre).
Understanding the building’s history
Like many old buildings, the manor house had been adapted, extended and remodelled a number of times over the years. With some of these later additions detracting from the building's original form. Other elements, such as the original flint walls had been hidden and needed strengthening. There was also a need to modernise the internal arrangement to reflect changes in the way people live today: a downstairs bathroom, a ‘broken plan’ ground floor space combining living, dining and kitchen.