CCA1215 / Victorian House Conversion, Norfolk

Cannon Clarke Architects were engaged to convert a Victorian house in the Old Buckenham Conservation Area. Albemarle House, once part of the Grange Estate, features red brick, a hipped slate roof, and timber sash windows. We transformed this historic property, preserving its charm while improving functionality.

Our team designed a ground floor extension and partial roof conversion. These additions created a spacious kitchen/family room, a home office, and a new master bedroom suite. The extension contrasts with the original house, standing as a separate pavilion. Round-corner brick ‘turrets’ frame large Crittall glazing, giving it the look of a contemporary orangery.

We chose a grey/white brick for the turrets after carefully considering factors like texture, pattern, and colour to ensure the new addition complements the existing Victorian house. The roof conversion features a continuous clearstory window system, raising the building height by just 1 metre. This subtle increase maintains the building’s proportions while allowing more natural light into the spaces below.

The project received planning consent from the local authority. Both extensions were carefully designed to have minimal impact on the original fabric of the Victorian house, preserving its character and leaving the interiors largely intact.