Making Greyfriars accessible

To achieve its aim of becoming a centre for connection, community and reflection, Greyfriars in Lincoln needs to become a model of accessibility and inclusivity.

The first floor of Greyfriars was used as a free school for 200 years. (Photo: Sian White).

Hidden away between St Swithin’s Church and the Central Library in Lincoln is a beautiful and rare survival from a medieval friary complex. Greyfriars is a Grade I listed scheduled monument built in the 13th century by the Franciscan Order within the boundaries of the medieval city. Lincoln’s Franciscan Greyfriars lived among, served and supported some of the most marginalised members of Lincoln’s society. Later, the building became a free school, a Jersey spinning and knitting school, a house of correction, a mechanics institute and the county museum. Throughout its many repurposes, support, education and advancement of individuals and communities remained at the building’s core.

The building has been vacant for several years now and is at risk, requiring immediate attention. Heritage Lincolnshire has joined in partnership with City of Lincoln Council to find a new use for the building with a comprehensive programme of conservation and refurbishment. Thanks to development funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Architectural Heritage Fund and the Pilgrim Trust, a design team led by Player Roberts Bell Architects has been creating a multi-use venue that includes a cafe, a flexible event space and a heritage interpretation area. Not only will it save an important part of Lincolns’ rich heritage, but it should also contribute to the area’s economic health.

Plans for the building draw inspiration from its heritage, once again becoming a centre for connection, community and reflection, where individuals and groups can gather and connect over drinks and food, learn about the history of Greyfriars, advance and develop skills through engaging with workshops and activities, immerse themselves in performances, and even make life-long commitments through marriage.

In order for the building to fully serve the community and visiting groups in this way, it needs to become a model of an accessible and inclusive heritage site. By removing physical barriers of access and providing lifts, accessible WCs and changing places facilities, the building will open up to a wider audience than ever before. Interpretation designed by Make Things Happen within the space will be provided through clear, engaging and accessible language and design.

‘Accessibility has been at the forefront of the design process right from the start,’ says Joe Player of Player Roberts Bell. Having an access consultant as part of the team has proved vital, with Sarah-Jane Sorrell of Oakley Estates advising on both design and activity considerations. ‘We are committed to creating a one-for-all solution that is sympathetic to the extraordinary structure,’ she says.

The visitor journey featured large in considerations for maximising accessibility, not only from the approach to the building up until the departure in physical terms, but also with the potential need for visitors to understand the building before they arrive. They might need to check physical access, or to check the building for trigger points to someone who is neurodiverse.

To create a comprehensive tool for people to gauge their needs before arrival, a full scan of the building has been completed using Matterport technology. This creates a cloud-based, 3D interactive ‘dolls house’ version of Greyfriars. It has the capacity to have information, including audio visual, added to ‘hotspots’ within the model, highlighting light levels, uneven surfaces and even, potentially, an audio description. Once the building is complete it will have the capacity to offer a virtual experience in the form of exhibitions and tours.

The physical approach to the building was carefully considered. The existing entrance was not only hard to find from the main pedestrian route but was also quite restrictive. The current entrance is next to an extremely loud, busy road with an uneven approach that might cause restrictions and potential hazards for some visitors. It has been decided that opening up a previous entrance in the western elevation and installing a glass door provides a much more inclusive main entrance that can be used by all visitors, leaving the current entrance for services. A glass door is helpful for visitors who might be triggered by entering an unknown building and who will now be able to see where they are going before they enter.

An alternative entrance through the rear courtyard and extension was considered in early drawings, but the project team concluded that the space would be far better suited for use as welfare facilities, compliant refuge, a changing-places toilet (designed with generous space and equipment) and a lift to the upper floor space. The inclusion of a changing-places toilet, a specific objective of the project, presented a great challenge in terms of space and cost. The purchase of a small piece of land to the rear of the building from the neighbouring property will provide sufficient curtilage to accommodate a new extension housing all the facilities needed.

A dais inside the new entrance offers an opportunity for visitors to take in the space, and appreciate the significance and magnitude of the building. The level platform allows visitors of all abilities and circumstances to prepare for the experience, gain their bearings and feel perspective. From here tasteful but clear and concise wayfinding will offer a logical route to other areas of the venue. The level changes are dealt with here in one location, on a dais that is not materially connected to the structure. This has been deemed to offer the maximum benefit to the venue in the least disruptive way, requiring interventions in just one, rather than several locations.

Inclusivity has been considered in the fit-out. The echo in the undercroft is considerable, so dampening materials will be used wherever possible to reduce the interference for those who are hard of hearing. The lighting that will be replaced will be pre-programmable via an app, including coloured lighting, to suit multiple uses and provide the opportunity to lower the lighting for visitors who are sensitive to bright lights. This will create a more calming atmosphere and even potentially add colour to a sensory experience.

This article originally appeared in the Institute of Historic Building Conservation’s (IHBC’s) Context 173, published in September 2022. It was written by Katy-Jayne Lintott, a senior project officer at Heritage Lincolnshire, convenor of the Heritage Lincolnshire equality, diversity and inclusion group, and part of the IHBC diversity group. It was written with with Joe Player, Lucy Watson And Sarah-Jane Sorrell.

--Institute of Historic Building Conservation