Cloudesley Centre

Holy Trinity, Cloudesley is a Grade II* listed deconsecrated church built in 1829 to the designs of Sir Charles Barry, based on Kings College Chapel, Cambridge. RGA worked through the pandemic and has completed three urgent repair projects as the initial phases of a major adaptation of its entire fabric to ensure a sustainable future of this magnificent building. They were grant-aided by Historic England.

The north and south aisle projects included structural reinforcement to the rafters, reroofing and repairs to the high-level masonry.

The nave and chancel ceiling project included repairing the collapsed nave ceiling, applying a scumble finish to the moulded decorations and reglazing the clerestory windows. During the project, the existing plaster and paint schemes were analysed to inform the current and future repair proposals. The roof voids were filled with insulation to pave the way towards the Church of England’s net zero carbon goal by 2030.

Currently, RGA are the lead architects for the complete transformation of the building to accommodate a new use whilst preserving the unique spaces that the church provides and showcasing Barry’s architecture. The design is a balance between intervention, flexible uses and restoration, reintroducing a gallery level, and improving the access and environmental performance of the building in an appropriate way.