From Ruin to Residence: The Next Chapter at 16 Elm Hill

After months of careful restoration and collaboration, the transformation of 16 Elm Hill is entering its final phase - the property is now officially on the market.

For Purslows, who led the architectural design and acted as Contract Administrator, it’s a satisfying conclusion to what has been both a complex and deeply rewarding project. Alongside Norwich Preservation Trust and a skilled team of craftspeople, we’ve helped bring a fragile, centuries-old building back to life - making it not just habitable, but a genuinely remarkable home.

Elm Hill itself is no ordinary address. Winding through the heart of Norwich ,it’s lined with timber framed building that carry the marks of hundreds of years of change. Number 16 is no exception. Once through to be a 17th-century townhouse, further research during the restoration revealed its origins are actually a century older. It has hosted all kinds of lives and uses over the years - from medieval merchants to 19th century monks - and now stands ready for a new chapter.

Restoring a building like this is never just about repairing what's broken. It’s about understanding what matters, what can be kept, and how to sensitively introduce what’s needed for modern life. That’s exactly what’s been achieved here. From the exposed beams and original features to the insulation, new services and updated interior, this is a home where past and present meet with real care.

We’re proud to have played a part in its revival, and even prouder that the legacy of this important building will continue - not as a museum piece, but as a lived-in home.