Becket's Chapel - an abridged account of the last two years in its long history...

Becket's Chapel, a Grade I listed building in Wymondham, Norfolk, stands out as one of eight national climate adaptation case studies backed by Historic England. The project has also been selected as a 2025 Regional Finalist in the Civic Trust Awards in the AABC Conservation category. Winners will be announced in early January. 

Patricia Forero, AABC-accredited architect and director of The Architect Studio in Cambridgeshire, takes up the story.

"My collaboration with Historic Norfolk over the past three years has been truly rewarding. Together, we have worked towards realising a vision for the building that not only preserves its historical significance but also aligns with the contemporary needs of the local community.

"The recent repair works involved essential retrofit measures, ensuring the building's sustainability for the future, which goes beyond merely reducing carbon footprint and enhancing energy efficiency; it also guarantees continuous use, generating vital revenue for the Trust's ongoing maintenance efforts.

"The project's first phase, completed in September 2023, transformed a rapidly deteriorating Grade I listed Chapel – restoring its role as an important community space and heritage asset. The Trust has embraced energy efficiency measures where possible to respond to the demands of climate change, including fabric repairs, services upgrades, and underfloor and roof insulation in this first phase. 

"We have now secured planning approval and listed building consent for a single-storey extension. This will complement the vision for a low-carbon footprint building by incorporating solar panels and air source heat pumps in the proposed second phase, among other improvements. These measures will contribute to making the chapel environmentally sustainable. 

"A phased repair and revitalisation project, following best conservation practices, successfully revived the Chapel, removing it from the Heritage at Risk Register. Now an exemplar by Historic England, it demonstrates how to adapt historic buildings to climate change while preserving historical significance and securing its future in the community."

The video below provides a glimpse into what happened during the 11 months of construction. 

For further information visit www.the-architect-studio.co.uk