RIBA Craftmanship Award Winner
The Parochial Parish Council engaged MS Oakes to undertake essential repairs and restoration work at St James Church, Dunwich.
St James Church, a Grade II listed building, was originally constructed in 1832 in the classical style to replace the All Saints Church, which was closed in the late 1750s and later collapsed due to coastal erosion. The church was “Gothicised” in 1881, with the original brick walls clad in flint, reshaped windows, and the addition of a chancel.
The scope of work involved structural repairs and re-roofing of both the Nave and Chancel, along with masonry repairs to the tower and the complete replacement of the cast iron rainwater goods. We also upgraded the church’s lighting and installed new electrical heating systems.
Additionally, significant external groundworks and hard landscaping were carried out. During the process, we discovered human remains on the site, which were uncovered under the supervision of an archaeologist, as the area had not been previously documented.
After several rounds of inspection, the project was honoured with an RIBA Craftsmanship Award, recognising the exceptional quality of work and the skills and expertise of our craftsmen throughout the restoration.
By MS Oakes
