This traditional mill house has undergone a complete renovation, sensitively designed to respect its history and heritage. Picture: French+Tye

Historic Salisbury mill building receives “sensitive yet bold transformation”

Jamie JonesSeptember 30, 20260 Comment0

A HISTORIC riverside Salisbury mill building was in a state of disrepair when it was bought by a sculptor with a vision.

The building, on the banks of the River Bourne, was taken on by sculptor Emma, who had a background in archaeology and intended to bring it back into use as a home, an art space and a creative sanctuary.

She called on Richmond Bell Architects to help her come up with a concept for Home for a Sculptor, which the firm described as “a sensitive yet bold transformation”.

The project, which was completed at the end of last year, “reimagines a centuries-old riverside building as a family home, studio and creative sanctuary, balancing conservation, contemporary architecture and environmental responsibility”, the company said.

The mill’s restoration

Sculptor Emma bought the property in 2022, when it was a state of disrepair, with damp, rotten floors, boarded-up windows and unsafe bedrooms making much of the house uninhabitable.

This traditional mill house has undergone a complete renovation, sensitively designed to respect its history and heritage. Picture: French+Tye

However, Emma and Richmond Bell joined forces to repair and restore the property, creating a home and studio which combined original features such as timber roof trusses, oak doors and historic brickwork, with a contemporary work and living space.

“The relationship with the river is central to the project,” a spokesperson for the architects said. “The River Bourne, a chalk stream tributary of the Avon, flows directly beneath the house.

“The former mill room, once unsafe and neglected, has been structurally upgraded and transformed into a dramatic living and entertaining space. A glazed channel set into the floor reveals the flowing water below, creating a constant visual and sensory connection to the river, while large sliding glazed doors open the room fully to the riverside setting.

“Above, the restoration of the roof structure enabled the creation of a master bedroom within the existing envelope. Original trusses are expressed beneath a new highly insulated roof, balancing heritage conservation with contemporary performance.”

This traditional mill house has undergone a complete renovation, sensitively designed to respect its history and heritage. Picture: French+Tye

Contemporary extension

A new extension, in contrast to the historic mill house, boasts a “distinctly contemporary
architectural language of steel and glass”.

“Housing an open-plan kitchen, dining and living space, the addition is deliberately differentiated yet carefully proportioned, allowing old and new to coexist without hierarchy,” the spokesperson went on.

This traditional mill house has undergone a complete renovation, sensitively designed to respect its history and heritage. Picture: French+Tye

“Floating corner glazing draws the landscape into the interior, while the extension’s material palette complements the robust character of the original building.

“Across the drive, a former garden building has been converted into a sculpture studio. By
removing the attic floor, Richmond Bell Architects created a vaulted, light-filled workspace with full-height glazing.

“The studio opens onto a courtyard designed for metal casting, further blurring the boundary between inside and outside.”

The extension features a wildflower green roof planted with native species to enhance biodiversity and manage rainwater, alongside flood-resilience measures including subterranean overspill tanks and French drains, protecting the house and habitat.

This traditional mill house has undergone a complete renovation, sensitively designed to respect its history and heritage. Picture: French+Tye

Renewable energy systems including solar panels with battery storage and an
air-source heat pump reduce reliance on conventional energy sources.

“Home for a Sculptor is the result of a close and collaborative relationship between architect and client,” the spokesperson added.

“Through sensitive restoration, carefully articulated contrast and a deep respect for landscape and ecology, the project demonstrates how historic buildings can be adapted for
contemporary life while remaining rooted in their past.”