Steve Welsh joined Buttress Architects on 26 March 1979 when he was 17 years old on a placement under the Youth Opportunities Programme (a government scheme of the time) followed by permanent employment six months later.
He went onto to develop his expertise within the ecclesiastical sector over the many years at Buttress and was well-respected for his knowledge and breadth of experience.
Steve recounts his impressive experience working on cathedrals and churches up and down the country: "I have been fortunate in my time at Buttress Architects to have worked with two cathedral architects which gave me the opportunity to work on more cathedrals than most architects.
Early career
"During my early career at the practice, I worked at a time when Donald Buttress was the Principal Partner and was already the architect to Bangor and Sheffield Cathedrals. From the age of 17 or 18 I had the opportunity to undertake measured surveys and create drawings for those cathedrals, Bangor being my first but I also remember creating drawings for the lantern at Sheffield Cathedral. Later Donald was appointed surveyor of the fabric at Chichester Cathedral, so again using my surveying skills and eye for detail was able to undertake surveys to create plans and elevations, which formed the basis for Donald's fabric repair work. This was long before the digital surveys we have benefited from in recent years.
Steve continues: "During the early 1990s I did some surveying work at Westminster Abbey and drew an elevation of the North transept which Donald Buttress used to create a drawing with even greater detail. The elevation features in the book ‘Donald Buttress’. I still have a copy of my original drawing at home.
Experience with significant churches and cathedrals
"In the early 1990s Nick Rank joined the practice and in 1996 I was asked if I would work directly with him. This led to a near 30-year career working and leading on projects on ecclesiastical buildings. Later in the 1990s, Nick was appointed to Carlisle and Lincoln Cathedrals, Southwell Minster (also a cathedral) and Sheffield RC Cathedral (a Victorian church) I have been involved and led on numerous projects at these cathedrals. During this period I also worked on numerous Grade I and Grade II* listed churches including: Colne, Boston, Long Sutton, Lutton, Fiskerton, Wilmslow, Middleton, Prestwich, Whitchurch, Eccleston, Macclesfield, Bolton, St Ann’s in Manchester, St Philip’s and Sacred Trinity in Salford, Halifax Minster and Grimsby Minster. I also worked on Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff which Nick took on from Donald.
Old Shambles relocation
"I’ve had a few departures from ecclesiastical since 1996 including work on the relocation of the Old Shambles pubs in Manchester and the development of indoor climbing centres in Manchester (St Benedict’s Church), Reading in Berkshire and Southampton.
“I was involved with the fire-gutted church of St Matthew in the early 1980s, the restoration of Emily Pankhurst’s house on Nelson Street in Manchester, the restoration of All Souls Church Halifax around 1984, the restoration of the Countess of Huntingdon’s Chapel in Worcester during the mid to late 1980s, the restoration of Tonbridge School Chapel in the early 1990s with responsibility for all the joinery elements, some work on the fire damaged Bell Isle house in Windermere and more recently, overseeing the restoration of Church of Ascension in Salford over the last few years, creating the drawings for the restoration of All Saints Church Mackworth.”
"I will miss his photographs from the top of church spires!"
Gavin Sorby, Managing Director, Buttress praises Steve's huge contribution over the years:
“On behalf of Buttress, I would like to congratulate Steve on his impressive career journey with the practice and to thank him for his dedication and expertise shown over many years. I'd also like to thank him for taking the newly qualified me on a site survey for my first day 37 years ago. I still don't feel I know as much as he did on that day. As the only remaining member of staff who was at Buttress when I arrived, I will feel older when he's not here! He has been involved with many interesting and important projects over the years, particularly within the Faith sector. I will miss his photographs from the top of church spires! We all wish him well on his well-earned retirement.”
Edward Kepczyk, Associate Director, Buttress who worked closely with Steve over the years crunched the numbers behind his long tenure with the practice: “After 2,392 working weeks, 12,006 working days, 96,048 working hours, and 345,772,800 working seconds, Steve Welsh retired from the Studio on Friday, 21 March 2025. Steve is someone who has been integral to the development and successful delivery of projects that have contributed to the identity and story of the Buttress. We all wish him well on a happy retirement.”
