The practice — Lewes, East Sussex, est. 1987
Twelve people, one building at a time.
How we work
Ashford & Grey was founded in 1987 by James's father, a carpenter who had tired of watching listed buildings patched up with cement and silicone. The practice has worked on nothing but Grade I, II* and II listed residential buildings since. Second generation now; the third is on the books.
We use the materials the buildings were made with, applied the way they were meant. Lime mortar in the ratios the original mason chose. Linseed oil paint where linseed was used. Green oak pegged with dry oak, without steel fixings where we can reasonably avoid them. Hemp and wool for insulation. When a modern material is genuinely the right answer, we say so and document why in the specification — we are not purists for the sake of purity.
The rule we hold to is that any intervention we make should be reversible by a careful craftsperson in fifty or a hundred years. We are custodians, not authors. The building was here before us and it will be here long after.
The people — 12
- 01
James Ashford
Director
Second-generation. Trained at the Weald and Downland Living Museum. Leads heritage consultations and site walks.
- 02
Sarah Ashford
Director
Second-generation. Manages the practice's relationships with chartered surveyors and listed-building consents.
- 03
Dr Eleanor Pelham
Heritage Consultant
PhD in historic building conservation. Eight years with the practice. Writes the condition reports that clients take to planning.
- 04
Martha Greene
Lead Plasterer
Fifteen years of lime work. Trained in France in hot-mixed lime techniques. Teaches the Lime Plastering Day workshop.
- 05
Ben Fairweather
Master Carpenter
Green oak and reversible joinery specialist. Responsible for all oak-frame repair work and the Window Restoration Weekend.
- 06
Tom Holloway
Lime & Masonry
Lime mortar, harl, and re-pointing. On site every day, works across most of the practice's projects.
- 07
Rob Penfold
Masonry Specialist
Sussex bond brickwork, flint knapping, Horsham slab roofing. Twenty-two years in the Sussex vernacular.
- 08
Jake Stanmer
Paint & Metalwork
Linseed oil paints, cast iron conservation, traditional hardware. Finishes the windows Ben restores.
- 09
Oliver Redhill
Timber Frame
Joined three years ago from boat-building. The youngest on the bench; learning oak splicing under Ben.
- 10
Emma Whitestock
Project Manager
Runs the day-to-day on most residential projects. Liaises with clients, architects, and conservation officers.
- 11
Ruth Crowther
Project Manager
Specialises in larger and longer jobs — twelve-month programmes and phased works. RICS qualified.
- 12
Kit Ashford
Operations
Third generation. Manages scheduling, invoicing, the workshop diary, and the resident studio dog.
Our process
- 01
Survey
A chartered surveyor's report is the starting point — usually the client's. We visit the building with them, read the report against what we see, and write a frank second opinion. No charge if we can't take the job on.
- 02
Specification
A written specification naming every material, every method, and every decision. Hot-mixed NHL 2 lime versus NHL 3.5. Green oak versus seasoned. Reversible or permanent. Listed Building Consent applications drafted on our side where we hold the knowledge.
- 03
Execution
The craftspeople who will do the work meet the client before work starts. Weekly updates in plain English. No subcontractors without the client's written consent. Photography of the work in progress — honest, not marketing.
- 04
Aftercare
Every completed project gets a written aftercare schedule. One-year, five-year, ten-year revisits at the client's invitation. We stay available to the building long after the invoice is paid.
Accreditations
- SPAB
- Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings
- IHBC
- Institute of Historic Building Conservation
- FMB
- Federation of Master Builders
- RICS
- Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Ruth Crowther)
- HCA
- Heritage Craft Association
“Buildings older than our grandparents, made to outlast our grandchildren.”