Little Manor Care Centre, Salisbury

Little Manor Care Centre, Salisbury

Before the recent work, Little Manor was an attractive and prominently sited Grade II listed Georgian house, with a large C20th extension of no merit behind it. The new work was aimed at upgrading the care home facilities, and adding six new bedrooms, while treating the listed building with due respect, maintaining it as the focal point. The judges were happy that these aims had been successfully met. While certainly more prominent than the previous extension, the new L-shaped block had been carefully considered, adding its own character without challenging the Georgian building next to it. The walling materials, mainly brick, white render and timber-like boarding, gave interest to the elevations, and projecting oriel windows added to this, while benefitting the interior with a range of views out. Facilities for the residents had clearly been greatly improved, with a focus on the first floor which flowed through from the original building, and services concentrated below. Advantage had been taken of the levels on the site to give easy access from a first floor lounge directly out to a new garden, a clear benefit compared with the previous configuration. The needs of the listed building had not been forgotten, with care given to original features which had survived the earlier challenges of institutional use. The overall outcome was seen as a well-considered contribution to the increasingly important provision of care, one that certainly deserved an award.

Architects: The Relph Ross Partnership, Salisbury