Historic Buildings & Places

What makes a great partnership?

In her latest Future Lab blog, Liz Power reflects on working with the Heritage Innovation Laboratory Oxford (HILO), and how collaboration can open up new ways of thinking, learning and solving problems.

From exploring research methods to challenging how we work as an organisation, the partnership has already brought valuable insights.

Read more:
https://hbap.org.uk/future-lab-what-partnership-teaches-us/

During a recent site visit, our caseworker Ross inspected the remains of Broomfield House, a Grade II* listed building dating back to the 16th century — lost to arson.

With only fragments of the original structure now surviving, it is always particularly stark to witness the loss of a heritage asset of this significance, especially one that has stood for several centuries.

Proposals from Enfield Council indicate an intention to stabilise what remains by consolidating the surviving walling and chimney stacks, alongside refurbishment works to the 18th-century water gardens on the site.

Tucked away within the historic landscape of Dunham Massey, these Grade II listed stables offer a glimpse into the working life of a great estate more than 300 years ago.

Built in the late 17th or early 18th century, the building was designed with practicality in mind, providing space for horses below and fodder storage above. Yet its robust stone dressings, carefully crafted timber windows and impressive roof structure reveal the skill and care invested in even the most functional buildings.

Did you know one of Cambridge's most remarkable historic libraries is hidden behind an elegant classical façade?

The Pepys Building at Magdalene College was constructed over three decades from the late 17th century and remains home to the extraordinary library of Samuel Pepys. Beyond its graceful arcades and staircases, the building preserves Pepys' original bookcases, books and even his writing desk.

🚨 FINAL CALL – Book your place today! 🚨

Join Seaside Heritage Network, Historic Buildings & Places, and Heritage Network on Friday 26 June 2026 at Saltdean Lido for the Valuing Seaside Heritage Symposium—a full day exploring the cultural, economic and community value of our coastal places.

Bringing together heritage professionals, policymakers, practitioners and stakeholders, the symposium will examine how seaside heritage supports regeneration, tourism, local identity and long-term sustainability.

Set in an iconic coastal location, this event offers evidence-led insight and practical discussion, with the option to round off the day with a swim at the Lido.

🎟️ Tickets: £38

Register today: https://hbap.org.uk/valuing-seaside-heritage-symposium/

At first glance, you might mistake this for a folly rather than a church.

St Mary's Church, Hartwell, was built in the 1750s as part of the designed landscape surrounding Hartwell House in Buckinghamshire. Its striking octagonal plan, Gothic details, rose windows and twin towers made it a dramatic landmark within the parkland setting.

Today, the Grade II* church stands as a roofless ruin, yet its architectural character remains remarkably powerful.

📍 St Mary's Church, Hartwell, Buckinghamshire

Casework Spotlight: Sandbach Literary Institute, Cheshire

The Sandbach Literary Institution is a Grade II listed building that was commissioned by the town with the objective of "improving the conditions of life for the inhabitants" and financed by public subscription. It was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the Gothic Revival style and was completed in 1857, and is one of several buildings he designed in the town, including the grammar school, a bank, and the rebuilding of St Mary's Church. The principal rooms were a corn exchange and reading rooms on the ground floor, and a "long room" for public events on the first floor.

HB&P have raised concerns with a scheme to make the building more accessible, which includes adding a new door and platform lift to the rear elevation, incorporating a lift in the octagonal stair tower, and altering floor levels and partitions to the office spaces. Providing access to the first floor of this historic building is important, but the octagonal stair tower has not been modernised and is a wonderful full-height space with polychrome brickwork, and the ability to appreciate the Gothic decoration and sense of space would be lost with the insertion of a lift tower. Further, the rear platform lift is awkwardly located in the rear lane and creates a convoluted path for any wheelchair user. There is an opportunity to create a single lift tower via the office space, one of the less architecturally significant areas, and HB&P recommended that an options appraisal is carried out to determine the most effective and least harmful way to improve access throughout the Institute, which is currently being reviewed. We hope to be able to move forward with a conservation-led access scheme in the near future.

📷: Photo By Ian Tresman, Creative Commons

☀️ Save the date: HB&P Summer Drinks 2026

We're hosting a relaxed summer drinks reception in London this July and we'd love to see you there.

📅 Wednesday 15 July 2026
🕔 5pm – 7pm
📍 The Grocer, Spitalfields, London E1
(Close to Liverpool Street & Aldgate East)

Join us for an informal evening of drinks and conversation — a chance to connect with fellow members and supporters of historic buildings and places, meet the HB&P team and trustees, and hear more about our work.

Find out more and register your interest 👇
https://hbap.org.uk/hbp-members-summer-drinks-2026/

Six months in, and Future Lab is already reshaping how we work at Historic Buildings & Places.

Our Director Liz Power has written a candid reflection on the first half-year of the project — the sheer scale of activity, the team growth, the deepening partnership with Heritage Innovation Laboratory Oxford at the University of Oxford, and what it really feels like to lead something this new.

As Liz puts it: the project has been "a challenge, pleasure and a voyage of discovery."

If you're curious about what research-led innovation looks like in the heritage sector, this is worth a read.

✨Read her full 6-month review https://hbap.org.uk/reflections-on-the-first-six-months-of-future-lab/

A remarkable morning and afternoon yesterday at Lambeth Palace, one of the UK's most significant historic buildings — and the home of the Archbishops of Canterbury for over 800 years.

We were privileged to host a specialist talk and tour led by the team at Wright & Wright Architects, exploring the first major refurbishment of this extraordinary site in more than 70 years.

From the medieval Great Hall to the wider estate, we heard how a £40 million masterplan is transforming the Palace for future generations — combining conservation, accessibility, and environmental performance in ways that set a genuine new benchmark for retrofit of highly significant historic buildings.

A brilliant event bringing together heritage, sustainability and architecture in practice. Thank you to Wright & Wright Architects for such an insightful and generous visit.