Lynford Gardens, House & Grounds Renovation

Designed by Richard Sutton in the late 1800’s as part of the extension and remodelling of Lynford Hall the site fell into disrepair in the last century. Clayland have over recent years restored the head gardeners house and bothies, and part of the glasshouses into our own offices. The ongoing proposals are to restore the large walled garden, and further glasshouses to their former glory. The scheme goes further in that it will incorporate micro forestry on the 14 acre site to provide fuel for the new bio-mass woodchip boiler which provides hot water and heating for the house and bothies which will become a combination of private house, commercial business and holiday lets, catering to ramblers, bird watchers, and tourists who visit Thetford Forest.
The restoration work to the house utilises traditional techniques as originally used such as adding charcoal to the lime mortar to produce its distinctive colour. The details of the dilapidated buildings are being reproduced to reinstate the buildings to how they originally looked, such as the iron winding mechanisms for the greenhouses and orangery’s. The concept for the house includes a carefully modelled addition to provide private accommodation as well as bed & breakfast, marrying closely the architectural style and detail of the original, while at the same time understanding the need for the building to stand alone in its own grounds as a commercially viable business and a house that has been separated from the original hall for over 80 years.

The Garden Room and Glass House Roofs
These were designed by Clayland Architects and constructed by Clayland Estates, and incorporate original timber and metalwork details that were found scattered in the ruins of the gardens. The generous glazed aspects not only maximise natural daylight (providing excellent working conditions) while ensuring adequate solar shading and natural cross ventilation. The overall designs and materials used, create a serene connection with the green space outside and a wonderful working environment that connects well with the history of the site.

The Orangery.
One of the most recent areas to be renovated, the original roof had collapsed and so a new glazed lantern and flat roof was designed. Original south facing windows were in too bad a state to be restored so were reproduced exactly, including the original camber which means the frames are wider at the top than the bottom.