Kit Martin

Kit Martin (1947- ) is an English architect and country house property developer.

Career

Since the 1970s Martin has specialised in the saving and restoration of country houses, by dividing them into smaller dwellings and apartments. He is an advisor to the Prince of Wales on the safeguarding of major historic buildings [cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/main.jhtml?xml=/property/2005/11/26/pstately26.xml&sSheet=/property/2005/11/26/ixpmain.html |author=Lonsdale, Sarah |title=Bought back to life |accessdate=2007-12-10 |date=26 November 2005 |publisher="The Daily Telegraph" |location=London] (previously being a Director of The [http://www.princes-regeneration.org Phoenix Trust] ), a Trustee of SAVE Europe's Heritage, [ [http://www.savebritainsheritage.org/english/english.htm SAVE Europe's Heritage] retrieved 10 December 2007] and a former member of the Historic Buildings Council for Scotland (now the [http://www.heacs.org.uk Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland] ). Martin has restored and converted around twelve houses, eight in England and four in Scotland, as well as other types of historic buildings. [cite news |title=Kit Martin, rescuer of historic buildings |pages= 48–49 |date=30 January 1997 |publisher="Country Life"] He has used the company name Kit Martin (Historic Houses Rescue) Limited since 1974, and Historic Houses Rescue Limited from 1996. From 2004-7 Martin was an advisor to SAVE Britain's Heritage on the proposed purchase of Dumfries House in Scotland. At his home, Gunton Park, Martin also restored the historic designed landscape, winning the "Country Life" Genius of the Place Award for 2007. [cite news |url=http://www.countrylife.co.uk/culture/architecture/article/124460/The_Genius_is_Gunton_Park.html |author=Musson, Jeremy |title=The Genius is Gunton Park |accessdate=2007-12-10 |date=14 June 2007 |publisher="Country Life"]

Projects

Kit Martin's country house restorations include (in date order):

England
* [http://www.countrylife.co.uk/culture/architecture/article/124460/The_Genius_is_Gunton_Park.html Gunton Hall] (Gunton Park), Norfolk, 1980, estate into 20 dwellings, one becoming Martin's own home; new [http://www.pmt.co.uk/news/archive/great_water_boathouse boathouse] in 2004
* [http://members.aol.com/fquirk202/page55.html Hazells Hall] (or [http://dicamillocompanion.com/Houses_Images.asp?ID=6812&pic=1 Hasells/Hassells] ), Bedfordshire, 1981-2, into 8 houses and 4 apartments
* [http://museums.leics.gov.uk/collections-on-line/GetObjectAction.do?objectKey=282940 Dingley Hall] , Northamptonshire, early 1980s, into 7 houses and 3 apartments
*Callaly Castle, Northumberland, 1986-7
*Burley On The Hill, Rutland, 1993-8, into 6 apartments, estate into 22 dwellings
*Stoneleigh Abbey, Warwickshire, 1996-2000, estate into 53 dwellings
*Maristow House, Devon, 1996-2000

Scotland
*Cullen House, Aberdeenshire, 1983, into 6 houses, estate into 14 dwellings
* [http://www.aadf.co.uk/projects/details.php?id=1 Keith Hall] , Aberdeenshire, 1984-6
*Tyninghame House, East Lothian, 1987
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/main.jhtml?xml=/property/2005/05/28/plaundry28.xml Formakin Mansion House] , Renfrewshire, 1988-99, estate converted into 17 dwellings ( [http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/scotland_screenres_800/684434.jpgRCAHMS image] )

Other projects include:
* [http://www.pmt.co.uk/projects/housing/royal_naval_hospital_great_yarmouth St Nicholas Royal Naval Hospital] , Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, 1996-7

Books

* [http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0905978129 The Country House: To Be or Not to Be] (1982) with Marcus Binney, Save Britain's Heritage, ISBN-10: 0905978129, ISBN-13: 978-0905978123.
* [http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0905978196 Chatham Historic Dockyard: Alive or Mothballed] (1984) with Marcus Binney, Save Britain's Heritage, ISBN-10: 0905978196, ISBN-13: 978-0905978192.

References

External links

* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/main.jhtml?xml=/property/2005/11/26/pstately26.xml&sSheet=/property/2005/11/26/ixpmain.html Photo of Kit Martin in front of Formakin House]
* [http://johndonat.com/architecture/architecture025.htm Photo of houses rescued by Kit Martin]