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St Albans Cathedral Sumpter Yard Revived


Sumpter Yard reinstates the historic walled garden approach to St Albans Cathedral. It celebrates the monastic heritage of a productive landscape of fruit trees and medicinal herbs, as part of the wider ambitious holistic precinct masterplan vision of diversity, biodiversity and heritage.


The rejuvenation of Sumpter Yard is inspired by our research in the Cathedral’s extensive archive. This provided evidence of a former productive landscape of interlocking walled gardens, laid out with espaliered fruit trees, vines, herbs and vegetables. The scheme reflects the desire to enhance biodiversity and frames the Cathedral’s commitment to enhancing their reputation as an outstanding place of welcome and hospitality. The design references the historic character and materiality of St Albans, responding both to the grain of the place and to the day to day requirements of the Cathedral as it continues to actively and imaginatively engage the community. It is the intention that in time and incrementally the entire Cathedral Precinct will be rejuvenated, with a masterplan inspired by stakeholder engagement, archive research and local community involvement.  



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PROJECT INFO

Client St Albans Cathedral
Location St Albans, Hertfordshire
Date 2017–2022
Area 6.5ha
Trees planted/proposed 17
Awards
2023 BALI Hard Landscaping Construction Under £500k Award
2023 Landscape Institute Award - Excellence in Heritage and Culture 
2021 RIBA East Award 
2021 RIBA East Conservation Award
2021 St Albans Civic Society Award, Civic Society's Plaque and Trevelyan Prize
2021 Brick Awards, Best Public Building - Commendation
2020 Scottish Design Awards, Best Public Building
2020 Edinburgh Architectural Association Ambassador Award - Commendation

CREDITS

Phase 1 Welcome Centre
Landscape Architect J&L Gibbons
Architect Simpson & Brown
Structural Engineer (Building) Momentum Structural Engineers
Structural and Civil Engineer (Landscape) Civic Engineers
M&E Engineer Mott MacDonald
Lighting Design Studio Dekka
Soil Scientist Tim O'Hare Associates
Arboricultural Consultant Crown Tree Consultancy 
Quantity Surveyor (Landscape) Jackson Coles
Landscape Management Land Management Services
Planning Consultant DLA Town Planning
Archaeology Canterbury Archaeological Trust
Photography © Henry Woide

Phase 2 Sumpter Yard Revived
Landscape Architect J&L Gibbons
Structural and Civil Engineer Civic Engineers
Quantity Surveyor and Principal Design Jackson Coles
Landscape Management Land Management Services
Planning Consultant DLA Town Planning
Soil Scientist Tim O'Hare Associates
Arboricultural Consultant Crown Tree Consultancy
Ecologist The Ecology Consultancy
Archaeology Canterbury Archaeological Trust
Photography © Henry Woide