Spinners Grange
Product used on this project
Overview
At the entrance to the Gloucestershire village of Blockley lies Spinners Grange, an attractive development that represents true contemporary country living. Each of the 23 properties within this Cameron Homes development has been individually designed by Cotswold architects, Tyack, and constructed using traditional materials and production techniques in-keeping with the local architecture.
Spinners Grange provides modern homes with a commitment to the traditional. Inside, the homes are contemporary, while the exteriors demonstrate a natural continuation of the existing historic village, with local architecture reflected in numerous design elements, from the brickwork to the stone detailing.
The team at Brickability worked closely with the architects and the client to provide a range of natural stone products to the project, always considering the use of local materials and trades. Brickability supplied natural walling stone for most of the facade and also scheduled and produced detailed drawings of the decorative stone dressings and natural stone heads and cills. Later in the project they also sourced stone for additional features, including dry stone walling.
Design Concept
Following an in-depth study of the area, Spinners Grange was developed with visual impact, local ecology and arboriculture in mind. These factors influenced the properties’ design, layout and landscaping. All of the homes had to be respectfully set back from mature hedgerows, with gardens showing consideration to wildlife. Being located within a conservation area, the dwellings within the site had to blend seamlessly with local architecture in regard to their materials, scale, proportion and simplicity.
A stroll through the village of Blockley reveals an abundance of buff-coloured Cotswold limestone stonework, therefore natural, local stone was an obvious choice for the Spinners Grange development. Sawn, split and tumbled building stone was selected for each of the properties, accompanied by decorative stone dressings including quoins and corbels. Natural stone was also chosen for the heads and cills, providing a textural difference to the facade, while maintaining consistency with buildings in the local area.
Each of the products used on-site were handled by specialist, skilled tradespeople, including traditional stonemasons. The care that was taken in choosing both the materials and workforce exemplified the commitment to designing a development that would harmonise effortlessly with the historic village.
Project Completion
The Brickability team sourced stone from the Guiting and Stanleys Quarries with unprocessed stone block also coming from the Oathill Quarry. Each of the quarries selected were within 10 miles of the site, ensuring that the stone would be perfectly in-keeping with those traditionally used nearby. Since the dressings of the buildings were to be hand-made by local stonemasons, the Brickability team worked with the architects to produce drawings that could be followed by the specialist tradespeople.
Later in the project, dry stone walls were chosen to feature within the development. The dry stone waller was selected after they were seen working in the village nearby, and Brickability were employed to source the stone, which was supplied by Cotswold Hill Quarry.
Throughout each stage of planning and construction, Spinners Grange was developed with history and traditional practice in mind. It is therefore no surprise that it was shortlisted for Development of the Year at the British Homes Awards in 2021. Brickability were proud to play such an integral role in this beautiful, characterful project.
Get in touch with our knowledgeable teams, to get the information you need and start your project. Call us on 02084400551 or send us as an email at enquiries@brickabuildingmaterials.co.uk
