Old House TradesCraftspeople for period and listed homes

Heritage and listed-building trades in Wiltshire and Somerset, in numbers

Official counts of businesses in this trade, council area by council area, and how they've changed. Every figure links to where it comes from.

A short history

The case for repairing old buildings, not rebuilding them, has a long history. William Morris founded the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) in 1877, in response to Victorian architects’ enthusiasm for harmful restoration, which caused irreparable damage 1. SPAB still advises owners and has a statutory role as adviser to local planning authorities 1.

SPAB runs courses, workshops and scholarships to train architectural professionals and building craftspeople 1. Skills are still at risk. Heritage Crafts publishes a Red List of endangered UK crafts. Its 2025 update, released on 12 May 2025, added 20 crafts to a list of 165 at-risk crafts 3. Among the additions were Irish and Welsh vernacular thatching, classed as critically endangered 3. The release does not mention lime work, sash windows or stonemasonry 3. We found no source on the history of these trades in Wiltshire or Somerset.

What it costs

We could not find a price for traditional building work published by a UK public body or trade body with a date. Prices vary by firm, building and the materials used.

Who checks the trade

No single register covers every heritage trade. These are the routes the sources describe:

  • Your council’s Conservation Officer. Based in the council’s planning department, they handle listed building consent. SPAB says to contact them early for pre-application advice, and first if you are worried about neglect or unauthorised works 2.
  • Architects and surveyors. SPAB names the AABC register and the RICS building conservation accreditation list as listing qualified professionals 2.
  • Structural engineers. SPAB says some structural engineers hold conservation accreditation through CARE 2.
  • Contractors. SPAB advises choosing one who understands traditional materials and methods. Its Technical Advice Line can suggest suitable contractors, including William Morris Craft Fellowship graduates 2.
  • IHBC accredited practitioners. The Institute of Historic Building Conservation keeps a searchable database of accredited practitioners. It does not include company listings, and says the qualifications information comes from members and may not be up to date 4.
  • National amenity societies. SPAB says six societies must be notified of applications to demolish listed buildings 2.

Sources

  1. About us Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) (spab.org.uk). Checked 15/10/2026.
  2. Who to talk to about your old building Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) (spab.org.uk). Checked 15/10/2026.
  3. Craft skills remain under threat with 20 new additions to the Red List Heritage Crafts (heritagecrafts.org.uk). Page updated 12/05/2025. Checked 15/10/2026.
  4. IHBC Accredited Practitioners Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) (ihbc.org.uk). Checked 15/10/2026.