March 2023
C&D Restoration have completed the repair of the ruined remains of the brewhouse of St Augustine’s Priory. AAB architects assisted in the process by carrying out a survey, preparing as-existing drawings and making recommendations for repair.
The enigmatic ruin is a remnant of 14th century range of buildings comprising the brewhouse and bakehouse, built as part of St. Augustine’s Abbey which was founded in the 6th Century. It is located in the northern part of the abbey precinct, which is now the campus of Canterbury Christ Church University. It comprises the western gable end of what was a two storey building and is a listed Grade 2.
The massive walls comprise flint external faces with stone quoins and horizontal banding. It has been patch repaired over the centuries using a variety of stone, unfortunately sometimes bedded in cement mortar which had exacerbated cracking. The two lancet windows had been previously repaired, some quoins replaced with dressed Bath stone. In 2020 the structure was in a fragile state, overgrown with ivy with penetrating roots, exposed top faces and vertical cracking. At lower levels chalk had been incorporated internally and as exposed to the weather was badly eroded. Maintaining the character of the repaired structure was an important consideration in the repair.
