About Historic Norfolk
Historic Norfolk was founded in 1977 (as Norfolk Historic Buildings Trust) with the aim of rescuing historic buildings at risk. It was set up by Norfolk County Council and the Norfolk Society and is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee.
Since it was established, Historic Norfolk has saved at least twenty buildings across Norfolk.
The charity does not receive any regular or core funding and in order to carry out restoration projects we must seek grant funding.
Income generated from properties operated as businesses - wedding hire and cafe rent at Waxham Barn, occasional hire of Oulton Chapel and the new Oulton Burial Ground, as well as hire of Becket's Chapel contributes towards the upkeep of the sites.
Trustees
Judith Harwood
Chair
Judith has 20 years’ experience in financial services, specialising in property and investment. Since moving to Norfolk she has worked as a consultant advising on complex change management projects in the education sector. Judith lives near Wymondham in an award-winning Grade 1-listed building which she restored. She has an MBA from Warwick University Business School.
Chris Maw
Vice Chair
Chris is a chartered accountant and a former partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. After starting his career in London he moved to Norfolk in 2003 and latterly became the senior partner of PwC's Norwich office before taking up another office leadership role in West London. He lives in Swanton Abbott and has a keen interest in architecture and conservation. He is also a Trustee of The Forum Trust in Norwich.
Rosemary Martin
Treasurer
Rosemary is a chartered accountant who spent her working life mainly in SMCs based in London and Kent. She was a trustee of a mental health charity in north London.
In 2022 she moved to Norfolk, joining Historic Norfolk in January 2024.
Andrew Barnes
Andrew is a non-practising solicitor and formerly senior partner of Howes Percival, following which he was Master of the Great Hospital. He is chair of governors at City College Norwich and of trustees of Priscilla Bacon Norfolk Hospice Care and is involved as a trustee with several other charities including The Almshouse Association, The Forum Trust, The Gloucester 1682 Trust and St George’s Guildhall and Creative Hub. He is also chair of the Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches of the Diocese of Norwich.
Chris Codling
Born and brought up in Norwich, Chris studied Architecture atNewcastle and worked in Edinburgh and London before returning toNorfolk. He joined Peter Codling Architects in 1985, becoming apartner in 1996. Specialisms included sustainability, energy efficiency,and work to historic buildings. A SPAB scholarship provided unique opportunities to see repair techniques around the country. This formed the basis of much subsequent work including surveys of Arad Fort, Bahrain; conservation of Roman walling at Verulamium, St Albans and Caistor St Edmunds, and repairs, maintenance and reordering/extension of a number of Norfolk’s churches.
Bryan Gillery
Bryan is a retired solicitor with over 40 years’ experience. He was a partner at Norwich-based firm Hansells and before that a partner at Eversheds. Bryan has been a property lawyer all his working life and has a keen interest in heritage and conservation. He has lived in Norwich since 1974 and is a former chairman of Norwich Volunteer Bureau and a long-serving council member of the Norwich Forum for the Construction Industry.
Richard Halsey
Richard is an architectural historian who worked for English Heritage and its predecessor for 30 years in both professional and managerial roles, leading the organisation’s work with places of worship. He has since served on a number of conservation committees and lectured at postgraduate level.
Terry Hickman Smith
Terry has an architecture degree from Liverpool University and worked for 10 years in a large Edinburgh practice, becoming an Associate Partner. He then set up his own private practice in Norfolk in 1977, working mainly in conservation, education and private housing. His conservation projects in the county include major works to Dragon Hall, The Pennoyer Centre and John Soane’s Music Room in Earsham.
Helen Leith
Helen has a long career in the arts, environmental protection and property and was Director of CPRE Norfolk for several years. She has a History of Art degree from University of London and has worked at Christie’s auction house, the National Trust and Friends of the Earth. Helen has run her own award-winning antiques businesses, is an experienced property restorer and has campaigned for the rescue of several important buildings. She is currently restoring a long-neglected Victorian cottage in Colegate, Norwich-over-the-Water.
Andrew Power
Adam is a chartered Civil/Structural Engineer. After working in both consultancy and contracting he set up his own consultancy in Norfolk in 1982 while renovating a listed 17c farmhouse for the family home. Maintaining a strong interest in historic buildings he has worked on numerous renovation, repair and conversion projects as well as new builds, alterations and extensions using traditional materials and techniques.
Gerard Stamp
Gerard went to school under the shadow of Norwich Cathedral, where he developed a passion for drawing and painting architecture. After Art College he enjoyed a successful career in London’s design and advertising industry before focusing full time on painting in 2002. He has held many solo exhibitions nationwide, with work in public collections including Norwich Castle Art Gallery and East Contemporary Art (UCS), private collections around the World, and the Royal Collection. Gerard lives and works in Gunton Park, Norfolk. His studio, completed in 2004, received a RIBA Heritage Award for a new building in a historic context.
Stephanie Potts
Secretary
Stephanie is employed as Secretary for Historic Norfolk. She has worked in the arts and heritage sector in various capacities for many years. From 2004 to 2012 she was manager of Norwich’s Grade 1 listed Dragon Hall and has held marketing, PR and development roles for organisations including Heritage Network Norfolk and Museums Sheffield. She is also a trustee of Anteros Arts Foundation.