ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTS

Dedicated architectural support for churches across Kent

CHURCH ARCHITECTURE

Ecclesiastical Architects in Kent

Church buildings play a central role in the life of many communities across Folkestone, Kent, and the wider South East. They are places of worship, gathering, music, and quiet reflection, often housed in structures of significant architectural and historic value.

Our practice offers dedicated support for ecclesiastical clients, helping to care for, adapt, and occasionally transform these complex and cherished buildings.

We understand the particular responsibilities that come with looking after a church. Regular inspections, maintenance, repairs, and, where appropriate, re‑ordering all sit within a framework of ecclesiastical law, diocesan procedures, and heritage requirements.

INSPECTIONS & CARE

Quinquennial & Ongoing Support

For Church of England buildings, quinquennial inspections provide a structured review every five years, identifying urgent issues and longer‑term needs. We support parishes by interpreting these reports, prioritising works, and developing realistic, phased strategies that respond to both pastoral and financial realities.

When alterations or extensions are needed – for example, to improve accessibility, introduce flexible seating, add meeting rooms, or create better catering and sanitary facilities – we work closely with PCCs, clergy, and congregations.

Early conversations help to clarify aims and concerns, while sketches and visualisations support discussion and decision‑making. Our designs seek to respect liturgical requirements and the building’s character, while also making it more welcoming and usable for a broader range of activities.

EXPERTISE

Approvals & Technical Challenges

Navigating approvals can feel daunting. We are experienced in working with Diocesan Advisory Committees, amenity societies, and local planning authorities to secure necessary permissions. Clear statements of need and significance, supported by drawings and visual material, explain why proposals are required and how they safeguard the building’s heritage.

We recognise that many ecclesiastical projects rely on grants and fundraising, and we aim to produce information that supports funding applications as well as formal approvals.

Technical challenges in church projects can be significant. Issues such as damp, roof failures, stone decay, and outdated services require specialist understanding and careful coordination.

Quinquennial Inspections

Statutory five-yearly church surveys

Re-ordering

Sensitive interior reconfigurations

DAC Experience

Expert navigation of diocesan procedures

Conservation Repairs

Specialist care for historic fabric

GET IN TOUCH

Supporting Churches Across Kent

We collaborate with structural engineers, building surveyors, and conservation craftspeople to develop repairs and upgrades that tackle underlying causes and use appropriate materials and techniques. At the same time, we look for opportunities to improve comfort and energy performance, for example through better controls, selective insulation, or more efficient heating approaches that suit intermittent use.

Based in Folkestone, we are well placed to assist churches along the Kent coast and inland, from small rural parishes to larger urban congregations. Whether you need help interpreting a quinquennial report, planning a modest repair project, or exploring a more ambitious re‑ordering or partial change of use, we can provide steady, informed support.

Our aim is always the same: to help you care for your church building so it can continue to serve its community, today and in the future.