St Mary’s Melton Mowbray
Helping a growing church increase capacity, improve community facilities and prepare for the future.
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The Grade I listed St Mary's church is one of the most notable historic buildings in Leicestershire and is located on a site considered to be of significant archaeological importance, housing remains from the prehistoric to the post-medieval periods.
A popular parish church, St Mary’s plays a central role in community, hosting events such as the British Pie Awards, and the annual Christmas Tree Festival, which attracts more than 16,000 visitors each year.
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Buttress was appointed to help the church deliver a major £2 million redevelopment project that would see the church’s facilities improved with new spaces that would make the church more accessible to others, and allow it to cater for an increasing number of visitors.
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A new stone floor with underfloor heating has been installed to return the floor to its pre-19th century height. A new internal north-west porch and new lighting and audio-visual systems were added. The building has also been re-wired and the Sir Malcolm Sargent Memorial Organ – named after the church’s illustrious choirmaster and organist from 1914-24 – has been restored.
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A new refreshment facility was also created, intended to support the church's expansion.
The refreshment facility has been designed so that it can be entirely concealed when not in use. The servery exists within its own self-contained cupboard, located beneath the north transept window, that can be completely closed off when not in use. As a concealed island unit, it can be wheeled out into the necessary position when required. This concealable, movable unit is intended to have as little physical and aesthetic impact on the interior of the church as possible, while providing a new and desired facility for visitors, worshippers, staff and volunteers.
The unit design is executed in oak with cornice work taken directly from the oak screen to the adjacent clergy and warden’s vestry. For the servery, the outer doors have been suspended on a concealed head track allowing them to be stacked out of the way at the side, with the store doors supported on floor pivot hinges. The overall height has been determined by the stone string course under the north transept window. These considerations have been intended to create a sympathetic language of materials, meaning that the refreshment facility should not aesthetically clash with its surroundings.
The changes have helped make the church a more functional and comfortable building for its users, while providing flexible facilities that will help preserve the historic church for future generations.
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Heritage Consultancy
As part of the proposed scheme of works, a Heritage Assessment was produced for the Diocesan Advisory Committee. This document surveys the heritage of the church, providing an overview of important information, to foster a better understanding of the asset and its context.
An assessment of the significance of St Mary’s Church was also provided in line with the National Planning Policy Framework, Historic England guidance and the Church Buildings Council guidance.
National Churches Trust and the Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association Presidents' Award 2018: Winner -