Kit Martin

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(born 6 May 1947) is a British

architectural designer The term architectural designer may refer to a building designer who is not a registered architect, architectural technologist or any other person that is involved in the design process of buildings or urban landscapes. Architectural designers ...

and

country house An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a town house. This allowed them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these peopl ...

property developer Real estate development, or property development, is a business process, encompassing activities that range from the renovation and re-lease of existing buildings to the purchase of raw land and the sale of developed land or parcels to others. R ...

. Martin is the son of

Sir Leslie Martin Sir John Leslie Martin (17 August 1908, in Manchester – 28 July 2000) was an English architect, and a leading advocate of the International Style. Martin's most famous building is the Royal Festival Hall. His work was especially influenced ...

, Professor of Architecture at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. 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 Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

on the safeguarding of major historic buildings and remains an advisor to

The Prince's Regeneration Trust The Prince's Foundation (formerly the Prince of Wales's Institute of Architecture until 2001, the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment until 2012, and the Prince's Foundation for Building Community until 2018) is an educational charity est ...

(previously being a director of The Phoenix Trust), a trustee of Save Europe's Heritage, and a former member of the

Historic Buildings Council Three separate historic buildings councils were created by the Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act 1953, one for each of England, Scotland, and Wales. Each Historic Buildings Council advised the relevant government minister on the exercise ...

for Scotland (now the Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland). Martin has restored and converted around twelve houses, eight in England and four in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, as well as other types of historic building. He has used the company name Kit Martin (Historic Houses Rescue) Limited since 1974, and Historic Houses Rescue Limited from 1996. From 2004 to 2007 Martin was an advisor to

Save Britain's Heritage Save Britain's Heritage (styled as ''SAVE Britain's Heritage'') is a British charity, created in 1975 by a group of journalists, historians, architects, and planners to campaign publicly for endangered historic buildings. It is also active on the ...

on the proposed purchase of

Dumfries House Dumfries House (Scottish Gaelic: ''Taigh Dhùn Phris'') is a Palladian country house located in the town of Cumnock in East Ayrshire, Scotland. It is within a large estate, around west of Cumnock. Noted for being one of the few such houses wit ...

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. Martin was appointed

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(CBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to conservation.

Projects

Kit Martin's country house developments include (in date order): England * Gunton Hall, Gunton Park, Norfolk, 1980, estate into 20 dwellings, one becoming Martin's own home; new boathouse in 2004
Hazells Hall
(or Hasells/Hassells), Bedfordshire, 1981–82, into 8 houses and 4 apartments
Dingley Hall
Northamptonshire, early 1980s, into 7 houses and 3 apartments *

Callaly Castle Callaly Castle is a Grade I listed building and a substantial country house to the north of the village of Callaly, which is some to the west of Alnwick, Northumberland, England. It is situated near the site of a 12th-century motte castle an ...

, Northumberland, 1986–87 * Burley on the Hill, Rutland, 1993–98, into 6 apartments, estate into 22 dwellings *

Stoneleigh Abbey Stoneleigh Abbey is an English country house and estate situated south of Coventry. Nearby is the village of Stoneleigh, Warwickshire. The Abbey itself is a Grade I listed building. History In 1154 Henry II granted land in the Forest of Arden t ...

, Warwickshire, 1996–2000, estate into 53 dwellings *

Maristow House Maristow House in the parish of Bickleigh (formerly Tamerton Foliot), Devon, England, is a large country house set in landscaped parkland, on the River Tavy to the north of Plymouth. It was built in about 1560, rebuilt in the mid-18th century and ...

, Devon, 1996–2000 Note: Ecton Hall in Northamptonshire, converted by Hertfordshire building company Period Property Investments Plc in 1986–89 into 12 apartments (plus 7 existing and 9 new estate dwellings), may have involved Martin, but this is unconfirmed. Scotland *

Cullen House Cullen House is a large house, about south-west of the coastal town of Cullen in Moray, Scotland. It was the seat of the Ogilvies of Findlater, who went on to become the Earls of Findlater and Seafield, and it remained in their family unt ...

, Aberdeenshire, 1983, into 6 houses, estate into 14 dwellings
Keith Hall
Aberdeenshire, 1984–86 *

Tyninghame House Tyninghame House is a mansion in East Lothian, Scotland. It is located by the mouth of the River Tyne, east of Tyninghame, and west of Dunbar. There was a manor at Tyninghame in 1094, and it was later a property of the Lauder of The Bass fami ...

, East Lothian, 1987–89 * Formakin House, Renfrewshire, 1988–99, estate converted into 17 dwellings Other projects include:
St Nicholas Royal Naval Hospital
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, 1996–97

Books

The Country House: To Be or Not to Be
(1982) with

Marcus Binney Marcus Hugh Crofton Binney (born Simms; 21 September 1944) is a British architectural historian and author. He is best known for his conservation work regarding Britain's heritage. Early and family life Binney is the son of Lieutenant-Colonel F ...

, Save Britain's Heritage, , .
Chatham Historic Dockyard: Alive or Mothballed
(1984) with

, Save Britain's Heritage, , .

References

External links

Photo of Kit Martin after CBE announcement in 2012
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Kit 1947 births Living people 20th-century English architects 21st-century English architects Commanders of the Order of the British Empire