CES Lighting & Electrical Specialists LLP

CES Lighting & Electrical Specialists LLP – Heritage Lighting, Electrical Design and Historic Building Services

CES Lighting & Electrical Specialists LLP is a family-run lighting and electrical engineering practice based in Wallington, South London. The business specialises in lighting design, electrical installation, electrical heating and maintenance for churches, listed buildings, historic interiors, educational establishments and other architecturally sensitive places.

Its services combine consultancy, design development, installation and ongoing maintenance. Working with conservation architects, church authorities, building custodians, designers and facilities managers, CES seeks to introduce appropriate modern electrical systems while respecting the appearance, fabric and established uses of historic buildings.

The business traces its roots to an electrical contracting enterprise founded in the late 1960s, subsequently adopting the CES name in 1991. The present limited liability partnership was incorporated in 2016. Its published portfolio includes significant ecclesiastical, educational and heritage projects in London and elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

Heritage and Ecclesiastical Lighting Design

Lighting in a historic building must provide safe, practical illumination without overwhelming its architectural character. CES designs internal and external lighting schemes for cathedrals, parish churches, chapels, heritage properties and public buildings, considering how lighting can support worship, events, interpretation and everyday use.

Its design process includes establishing the project brief, surveying existing conditions, selecting appropriate luminaires, developing layouts and control strategies, preparing technical documentation and coordinating with the building's architect and other stakeholders. Particular consideration is given to lighting important features while limiting visual intrusion and unnecessary disturbance of original fabric.

The practice uses LED technology and programmable lighting controls where appropriate, enabling spaces to move between brighter functional lighting and quieter, more atmospheric settings. Bespoke fittings may be developed when standard products would be unsuitable for a particular historic interior.

Sensitive Electrical Installations in Listed Buildings

CES undertakes electrical design and installation works in buildings where historic finishes, masonry, joinery and decorative features require particular care. Its services range from small electrical alterations to comprehensive renewal of wiring, distribution systems and associated equipment.

Electrical interventions in listed buildings may require careful routing of cables, discreet location of equipment, specialist access and coordination with conservation professionals. CES considers these constraints during the design process, including the positioning of luminaires, fixings, switches and control equipment.

Its electrical consultancy services include surveys, load calculations, wiring-layout drawings, product selection, specifications and technical reports. Installation services can be commissioned alongside design work or as a separate project.

Historic Lighting Fixtures and Bespoke Luminaires

The retention of historic light fittings can be an important part of the conservation of a decorated interior. CES has experience of adapting and upgrading existing fittings to use modern light sources while retaining their architectural appearance and intended lighting effect.

Where suitable products are not available, the company develops bespoke pendants, brackets and other lighting components in collaboration with clients and specialist manufacturers. Designs take account of the scale and materials of the building, the character of original fittings and the required distribution of light.

Such work may also involve designing discreet supports or housings for new lighting and wiring so that important architectural details remain legible.

Emergency Lighting and Electrical Safety

CES provides emergency lighting design, installation, testing and maintenance for churches, schools, public buildings and historic properties. Designing safe escape lighting in architecturally sensitive interiors can require individual solutions that minimise the visual impact of modern equipment and signs.

The company undertakes Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs), electrical inspections, portable appliance testing and remedial works. Assessments consider the condition of wiring, circuits, distribution boards and associated electrical equipment, providing a basis for planned improvements and ongoing maintenance.

For places of worship and other regularly occupied heritage buildings, electrical safety and continued use must be balanced with the practical limitations of traditional construction and protected interiors.

Electrical Heating for Historic Buildings

CES designs and installs electrical heating systems for ecclesiastical and heritage buildings, beginning with an assessment of the existing incoming supply, electrical capacity and distribution arrangements. This helps identify whether proposed heating loads can be supported or whether infrastructure improvements are required.

Potential solutions include discreet radiant heating, under-pew and under-seat systems, wall-mounted heaters, heating chandeliers and bespoke electric radiators. System selection takes account of occupancy patterns, zoning, control arrangements and the visual and physical effects of new installations.

The company considers the reversibility of fixings, concealed cable routes and the conservation implications of equipment placement. Its heating design process follows a staged framework informed by the RIBA Plan of Work.

Maintenance, Testing and High-Level Access

Alongside new installations, CES provides small electrical works, fault finding, lighting repairs and planned maintenance. Services include routine lamp replacement, repairs to internal and external lighting, inspection and testing, improvements to existing systems and maintenance contracts.

Historic churches and large public interiors frequently contain high-level fittings requiring specialist access. CES identifies access and maintainability as important considerations at the design stage and uses appropriate access equipment for work in tall or complex spaces.

Ongoing maintenance helps preserve the effectiveness of lighting systems, limit failures and reduce the need for disruptive future works within historic building fabric.

Selected Heritage and Lighting Projects

Rochester Cathedral, Kent

CES designed a major internal lighting and electrical upgrade at Grade I listed Rochester Cathedral, completed in 2022. The scheme introduced discreet lighting to architectural features, monuments, the nave and quire, with carefully considered cable routes, special brackets and concealed fittings to protect historic surfaces.

An integrated lighting control system provides different settings for worship, reflection and public events. The project received an International Association of Lighting Designers Award of Excellence in 2023, recognising the quality and adaptability of the design.

Queens' College Chapel, Cambridge

In 2024 CES completed a lighting upgrade at Queens' College Chapel, combining modern LED illumination with a discreet approach to the historic interior. The scheme highlights windows, the altar, triptych and choir areas while providing preset lighting scenes for worship, events and live-streaming.

Freemasons' Hall, London

At Freemasons' Hall, CES developed internal and emergency lighting improvements, including the conversion of existing decorative pendants to energy-efficient LED technology. The project required careful integration with historic fittings and concealed wiring, together with specially designed exit signs appropriate to the building's architectural character.

St Andrew and St Cuthman, Steyning

CES designed a sensitive lighting scheme for the medieval parish church at Steyning, using discreet wiring, simple controls and bespoke pendant fittings developed in consultation with the church and its architect. The scheme was shortlisted for a darc lighting award in 2021.

Other Heritage and Public Buildings

The company's published portfolio includes lighting and electrical work associated with All Souls Langham Place, St Giles in the Fields, Somerset House, historic lighting in Rotherhithe, Ronald Phillips in Mayfair, the Wren Café in the City of London, and educational buildings including Coloma Convent School and Epsom College.

Family Business and Specialist Training

CES traces its family business history through three generations. Ronald Stanley Smith began working as an electrical engineer in 1948 and established an electrical business in the late 1960s. Graham Smith developed the business, which adopted the CES name in 1991, and broadened its work into specialist lighting for historic buildings.

Today the practice is led by partners Ryan Slessenger, Grant Ashworth and Craig Smith. Its team includes lighting designers, electrical designers, project managers and installation specialists. The company also provides apprenticeship and technical training with particular attention to working appropriately within historic buildings.

Working with Heritage Building Owners and Professionals

CES provides lighting and electrical design consultancy nationwide, while its installation and maintenance activities are concentrated in London, the Home Counties and South East England. Clients include diocesan and parish authorities, schools, universities, museums, heritage organisations, architects and custodians of historic properties.

For those planning electrical upgrades or new lighting within sensitive architecture, CES offers an integrated combination of heritage-aware design, practical installation, electrical safety assessment and long-term maintenance.