Our Ecclesiastical & Faith Work
Tom Crooks is appointed to approximately 30 places of worship across South Yorkshire and Derbyshire, including Anglican, Baptist and Methodist Churches, as well as sitting on the Sheffield Diocesan Advisory Committee and Membership Secretary to the Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association (EASA).
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At Crooks Architecture, ecclesiastical work is one of our passions and we love to work with congregations and church leadership teams to repair and maintain our historic (and sometimes not so historic!) places of worship, as well as plan for the future and help develop the buildings for sustainable futures.
As a Church Architect, repairing a gutter or conserving stonework is as important as a full re-ordering project - we're not just about the glamour of the big project - and we welcome the opportunity to be involved at all stages to help the building thrive.
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Tom was Treasurer to his own church for nine years, so is familiar with the financial constraints churches face and how to budget for repair works and seek grant assistance.
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Here are some of the projects on which we have had the pleasure of working:
The one with little John's Grave
St. Michael & All Angels' Church, Hathersage
A Grade I listed church in North Derbyshire in which we installed new heating and lighting, removed the pews from the Aisles to create accessible and flexible spaces, as well as conservation repairs and improvements to meet 21st Century needs.
The one with little John's Grave
St. Michael & All Angels' Church, Hathersage
A Grade I listed church in North Derbyshire in which we installed new heating and lighting, removed the pews from the Aisles to create accessible and flexible spaces, as well as conservation repairs and improvements to meet 21st Century needs.
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The far from "primitive" one
Winster Former Primitive Methodist Chapel
We were appointed to obtain listed building consent and planning consent for the residential conversion of this redundent former primitive methodist chapel. The chapel is landlocked, with no vehicular access, making executing the works challenging. The result is a stunning residence in the beautiful setting of Winster.​
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St. Edmund's Church, Roundhay
Installation of solar panels on the clerestory walls of the grade II listed church in Leeds, above the South Aisle and Chapel.
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The far from "primitive" one
Psalter Lane, St. Andrew's Church, Sheffield
Conservation repairs, recladding and improvements to the fleche (spire) to restore the copper-clad landmark to its former glory.​
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St. Edmund's Church, Roundhay
Installation of solar panels on the clerestory walls of the grade II listed church in Leeds, above the South Aisle and Chapel.
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The one with the turrets
Cemetery Road Baptist Church
The re-roofing of the Sanctuary to restore the roof to natural slating, presented the opportunity to integrate solar panels into the roof of this Grade II listed church in Sheffield.
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The one designed by John Carr
St. Peter & St. Leonard's Church, Horbury
The church required level access into the church (to replace the current steep ramp) and removal of the heavy timber entrance lobbies. A new external stone ramp was formed providing safe access and new frameless glass entrance lobbies opened up the Georgian door surrounds.
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The one with the bespectacled Queen
St. Mary the Virgin Church, Hook
A project of re-ordering to allow the church to offer a flexible space for use by the community, as well as supporting different styles of worship. We are installing a w/c and kitchenette in the church, along with removing the fixed pews, to replace them with new flexible seating.
The one with the village shop
St. Helen's Church, Grindleford
A feasibility study into the possibility of extending the existing village shop, currently in the Vestry, to create shop floor additional space, a better kitchen and a cafe. The project also looked at how the worship space might be brought into more regular and beneficial use throughout the week, in collaboration with the cafe.
The one that started it all
St. Mary the Virgin Church, Beighton
The first church project Tom worked on after university - now 15 years ago (!). A project on a Grade II* listed church in Sheffield to provide a kitchen and accessible w/c's, level access throughout, new flexible seating and improved heating and lighting.
The one with the nice glass doors
All Saints Church, Curbar
A small project to provide new glass doors to the outer porch arch, to create a draught lobby and more welcoming entrance (than the heavy oak door) and a removable timber wheelchair access ramp. A small project, but one with a lot of technical challenges.
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