Church of the Ascension

We were first appointed by engineers Thomasons to carry out an urgent assessment of the remaining structure’s condition. Detailed research was undertaken during this phase, investigating the building’s history to help identify surviving features of architectural, historic and social significance to incorporate into the restoration.

Although the large majority of the interiors, especially the decorative elements, were lost in the fire, the internal and external fabric of the church has been restored to its original state.

The restoration work was undertaken in two phases. Phase one involved the reinstatement of the original envelope and structure. This included the complete reinstatement of the church’s large west gable rose window and the smaller rose windows to the north and south transepts, all of which have been carefully recreated by local stonemasons and stained-glass artists. The new roof structure was rebuilt in a traditional manner with timber trusses similar to the original and insulation to meet current standards.

Phase two consisted of the interior fit out, including new finishes and decoration. Internally, a level floor has been introduced throughout the church to improve accessibility and underfloor heating has been added to enhance the internal environment. New toilets have also been designed for fuller accessibility. New timber screens have been introduced to separate spaces, and create a meeting room, vestry, toilets, and a full catering standard kitchen.

It has been hugely important to restore Church of the Ascension back to a functional building due to its strong community ties. Before the fire, the church was used by the local community for a number of different events – coffee mornings, jumble sales, school services, and more. In 2007, Church of the Ascension was awarded the Royal Town Planning institute prize for Best Practice in community involvement. As it is recognized as an important landmark building in Lower Broughton and is active within the community, we had to ensure the church maintained its symbolic value.

We not only restored the church but also added more functional aspects to the building to serve the community. Flexible worship space has been created, with loose furniture chosen that can be easily moved around or stored away to allow the space to be used for community events. A new office, catering kitchen and meeting room will also allow the church to accommodate larger community events.