Conservation & Heritage Issue 49 October 2025 - Flipbook - Page 84
Chris Dyson Architects has been based in Spitalfields
for twenty years, so were engaged for their in-depth
understanding of the area’s architectural heritage. “We
admired the commitment to rescuing these buildings when they
were so close to collapse,” explains Chris. “This project has been
in the office for a while – it is a patchwork of experience, time and
care as much as history, with each individual involved in it leaving
their mark. It’s a wonderful testament to the whole team’s work.”
The project drew on traditional techniques, such as lath
and plaster, and has been finished to the highest restoration
standards by Fullers, a family-run building company that in
2022 celebrated its 150th anniversary. They added: “Sitting
derelict and exposed to the weather for many years, some original
material had decayed, but amazingly (in 113) some original timber
and joinery as well as a large amount of the original brick walling
remained intact, just needing some TLC and repair. Our task was
to record and dismantle the building as necessary and rebuild it
with as much salvage material as possible in its original design.”
Historic England has confirmed that the successful rescue
and repair of the buildings means that number 113 will
be removed from the Heritage at Risk Register at its next
annual update.
Lisa Rigg, Heritage at Risk Projects Officer at Historic
England, added: “We’re delighted to see the rescue and repair of
these former weavers’ cottages. These small houses, built specifically
for artisans and labourers as live-work spaces, were the beating
heart of eighteenth-century London. The owners have done an
excellent job bringing these buildings back from the brink,
creating a thriving and sustainable future for this slice of
Shoreditch’s history.”
Above, image on site in 2020
Archive images of the street in the 1970s (source unknown)
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