H. A. Briddon Ltd is a third-generation family construction and conservation company based in Tansley, near Matlock in Derbyshire. Founded in 1959 by Henry Arthur Briddon, the company delivers specialist building, restoration, refurbishment and conservation work for historic and listed buildings, private residences, commercial properties, churches and country estates.
With experience in natural stone construction, traditional masonry, lime work, roofing, architectural joinery and main contracting, H. A. Briddon combines its directly employed craftsmen with carefully selected specialist subcontractors. Its work includes sensitive repairs to historic fabric as well as extensions, conversions and contemporary facilities within heritage settings.
The company works with architects, consultants, property owners and estate managers, providing construction expertise from initial planning and design coordination to completion. Its Derbyshire location gives the firm a particular familiarity with the traditional stone buildings and landscapes of the Peak District and surrounding counties.
H. A. Briddon undertakes conservation, repair and refurbishment projects involving historic buildings and monuments. Its experience covers listed and traditional buildings where existing materials, architectural detailing and building character require attention throughout the construction process.
The company's services are relevant to projects requiring specialist traditional trades, coordination with conservation architects and careful incorporation of new work into existing structures.
Conservation and restoration services include:
Where works affect listed or otherwise protected buildings, suitable permissions, conservation specifications and professional supervision should be established before work begins. The selection of materials and repair techniques should respond to the condition and significance of the existing fabric.
Natural stone building is an established part of H. A. Briddon's construction activities. Its work includes stone masonry on historic properties, natural stone construction for extensions and new buildings, and repair or replacement of deteriorated elements.
Relevant capabilities include: traditional masonry construction, natural stone walls, heritage stone repairs, architectural stone reinstatement, stonework associated with extensions and conversions, and coordinated masonry repairs alongside roofing or structural works.
The company lists lime plastering among its specialist services and identifies stone repairs and lime mortar work within its heritage construction capabilities. Such techniques are frequently important in traditional solid-wall buildings, where rigid or impermeable modern materials may be inappropriate.
Any conservation specification should establish the appropriate mortar or plaster composition through examination of the existing fabric and advice from the relevant conservation professionals.
H. A. Briddon identifies specialist roofing, leadwork and insulation as an area of service, with traditional roofing and leadwork also described in its published company profile. The firm has undertaken projects involving slate roofing, lead-covered elements and sensitive adaptations to existing buildings.
Roofing work may form part of a larger conservation or refurbishment contract, particularly where roof coverings, abutments and weathering details must be integrated with masonry and timber repairs.
A distinctive strength of the company is its in-house joinery provision. Cleeve Joinery, a division of H. A. Briddon, operates a workshop adjacent to its head office in Tansley and offers design, manufacture and installation of bespoke timber components for domestic and commercial projects.
The joinery division's documented work includes a bespoke hardwood entrance door, timber structures, a green oak conservatory and fitted shop interiors. H. A. Briddon also undertook the manufacture and installation of a bespoke shopfront and interior joinery for Wards Shoe Shop in Bakewell.
Joinery and carpentry capabilities include:
This workshop capacity enables the company to coordinate timber fabrication and site installation within wider construction programmes. For listed buildings, new and replacement joinery should follow agreed historic profiles, details and conservation specifications where required.
H. A. Briddon's portfolio includes the restoration of the Church of the Annunciation in Chesterfield, undertaken to a design by Smith and Roper. The company also identifies church reordering and ecclesiastical building work among its services.
Such work is relevant to places of worship seeking repair, improved facilities or adapted use while protecting their architectural and historic significance.
The company has documented involvement in a range of projects at Chatsworth in Derbyshire, including conservation work and new facilities within an internationally recognised historic estate.
Its published project records include:
These commissions illustrate the range of work undertaken by the company, from monument and ornamental-feature restoration to services infrastructure and the adaptation of existing estate buildings. They should not be interpreted as a claim that the company designed the heritage sites or was responsible for all associated conservation works.
Alongside restoration, H. A. Briddon provides design-and-build and main contracting services for extensions, alterations, conversions and new construction. This includes projects where contemporary accommodation is introduced into historic or traditionally constructed settings.
At Conksbury Old Hall, Youlgrave, the company constructed a kitchen pavilion extension with a lead roof and lantern to a design by David Lewis Associates. At Bow Wood, Lea Bridge, its published work included two bespoke extensions and refurbishment of the existing house, to a design by GRT Architects.
The company's experience also includes barn conversions and the use of natural stone and timber in new construction, allowing extensions and ancillary buildings to respond to local vernacular traditions where appropriate.
H. A. Briddon operates a Thermatec superheated-water cleaning system for building conservation, restoration and refurbishment applications. The company describes its use for removing certain deposits and surface contaminants, including soot, grease, biological material and selected coatings.
Stone cleaning may be integrated with masonry repair and restoration programmes rather than undertaken as an isolated cosmetic intervention.
The firm acts as a main contractor on construction and conservation schemes, working with architects, building surveyors, engineers, clients and specialist subcontractors. Its directly employed workforce and workshop facilities support coordination across traditional building trades and contemporary construction activities.
In addition to its heritage specialisms, the company identifies building and stone masonry, groundworks, civil engineering, structural concrete, plumbing and heating installations, and mechanical and electrical work among its wider service capabilities.
H. A. Briddon maintains an in-house approach to site safety and training. Its published safety information identifies SMAS Worksafe accreditation within the SSIP framework and training undertaken by relevant personnel in SMSTS, SSSTS, IOSH Managing Safely, first aid, asbestos awareness and PASMA mobile tower access.
The Building Conservation Directory additionally identifies suitably certified Gas Safe and OFTEC personnel for applicable heating and plumbing work. Professional or operative qualifications should be verified for the staff assigned to a particular commission; current company accreditation certificates should be checked before appointment.
Repairing and adapting existing buildings is an important means of retaining architectural character, traditional craftsmanship and embodied materials. Conservation-led construction can avoid unnecessary replacement and allow historic structures to continue serving useful purposes.
H. A. Briddon's work on listed building restoration, traditional masonry, joinery, roofing and adaptive reuse can contribute to this approach when undertaken with appropriate investigation, specifications and professional oversight.
Good conservation outcomes depend on understanding the causes of deterioration, retaining sound original fabric where feasible and ensuring new materials and interventions are compatible with historic construction.
The company's services are relevant to owners and managers of listed buildings, country estates, churches, historic houses, cottages, commercial premises, traditional farm buildings and properties requiring refurbishment or alteration.
It works in collaboration with architects, designers, engineers and specialist conservation advisers on projects that range from focused repairs to substantial main contracts.
H. A. Briddon is based in Tansley, Matlock, Derbyshire. Its principal operating area covers Derbyshire and neighbouring counties, including projects in the Peak District. The company considers larger commissions outside this area individually.
For enquiries about listed building restoration, traditional masonry, specialist joinery, roofing, church conservation or heritage construction, contact the company to discuss project requirements and availability.
Address: Brookfield Industrial Estate, Old Coach Road, Tansley, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5ND.
Telephone: 01629 583202
Email: info@habriddon.co.uk
Website: www.habriddon.co.uk
| Services & Expertise | |
|---|---|
| Principal Areas of Work: | Historic Building Conservation, Listed Building Restoration, Heritage Construction, Traditional Stonemasonry, Natural Stone Building, Historic Masonry Repairs, Traditional Roofing, Leadwork and Roof Repairs, Lime Mortar Pointing, Lime Plastering, Bespoke Joinery, Traditional Carpentry, Historic Building Refurbishment, Church Restoration, Ecclesiastical Building Conservation, Church Reordering, Historic Estate Restoration, Stone Cleaning, Barn Conversions, Period Property Renovation, Conservation-Led Extensions, Architectural Joinery, Structural Building Works, Heritage Main Contracting, Building Project Management |
| Capabilities and Specialisms: | Grade I and Grade II Listed Building Repairs, Historic Fabric Conservation, Traditional Stone Masonry, Natural Stone Construction, Stone Repairs and Replacement, Heritage Masonry Restoration, Lime Mortar Pointing, Lime Plaster Repairs, Traditional Roofing, Slate Roofing, Roof Leadwork, Historic Roof Repairs, Bespoke Hardwood Joinery, Architectural Timberwork, Timber Doors and Windows, Traditional Carpentry, Bespoke Shopfronts, Oak Framed Structures, Joinery Workshop Manufacture, Historic Interior Refurbishment, Church Reordering, Ecclesiastical Building Restoration, Historic Estate Building Works, Heritage Gate Restoration, Historic Fountain Restoration, Stone Cleaning, Superheated Water Cleaning, Thermatec Cleaning Systems, Barn Conversions, Historic Building Extensions, Conservation-Sensitive Alterations, Structural Concrete Works, Groundworks and Civil Engineering, Mechanical and Electrical Installations, Plumbing and Heating Works, Building Project Management, Conservation Main Contracting, Heritage Project Coordination, Specialist Subcontractor Management |
| Accreditations, Certifications & Memberships : | SMAS Worksafe – SSIP Health and Safety Accreditation, Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS), Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS), IOSH Managing Safely, First Aid at Work, Asbestos Awareness, PASMA Mobile Access Tower Training, Gas Safe Registered Engineers, OFTEC Certified Heating Engineers |
| Accreditation & Membership Details: | H. A. Briddon Ltd publishes information on its health and safety management arrangements, including SMAS Worksafe certification under the SSIP scheme and employee training in IOSH Managing Safely, SMSTS, SSSTS, First Aid at Work, Asbestos Awareness and PASMA mobile tower scaffolding. The company's Building Conservation Directory entry also identifies plumbing and heating engineers with Gas Safe and OFTEC certification. |
| Geographical Areas Covered: | Derbyshire, Matlock, Tansley, Bakewell, Derbyshire Dales, Peak District, Chesterfield, Ashbourne, Buxton, Hope Valley, South Yorkshire, Sheffield, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, East Midlands, Neighbouring English Counties, Other UK Regions by Arrangement |
| Contact & Online Presence | |
| Email: | info@habriddon.co.uk |
| Business Details & Insurance. | |
| Company Trading Name: | H. A. Briddon Ltd |
| Company Number: | 00629237 |
