Greenfields Gunmakers, Milford Street, Salisbury
Greenfields Gunmakers previously occupied Nos 21 and 21A in Milford Street, and have now incorporated No 21B as well. The addition of its interior to the shop premises was achieved by re-using original openings, later blocked in, and the whole scheme gave an opportunity to remove layers of shop fitting alterations, revealing some much earlier finishes. Access was also created to areas in need of rescuing from decay. One moulded timber beam, found buried in a ceiling, may well come from the C14th Bolehall which once occupied part of the site, and much of whose roof survives. Moved down to below ceiling level, the beam is now a very interesting feature of the shop interior. Other newly revealed historic elements include a section of flint and stone walling, and part of a C14th roof truss, now visible behind a glass screen. On the ground floor, C18th panelling was found, and had new panelling, to the same design, added on top. In an upper floor room, more panelling and an early C18th fireplace are in the process of being conserved. A two storey extension had been sensitively formed at the back, and the finishing touch to the whole scheme was the unification of the shopfront across the premises, 15 years or so after sash windows had replaced ugly casement ones above much of the frontage. The judges applauded the commitment and skill which had clearly been put into an exceptionally beneficial project.
Architects: Favonius Architects, Salisbury