A hand knapped flint extension built to match nine centuries of historic fabric

Bix Church is a wonderful example of traditional English ecclesiastical architecture, set in the rolling Oxfordshire countryside. When the parish required a new extension, the challenge was to build something that would sit seamlessly alongside the existing historic flintwork — indistinguishable in character and craftsmanship from the centuries-old fabric around it.

Every flint used in this project was individually hand knapped on site by our team. We carefully selected each piece for its face, size and colour to ensure the new panels would match the texture and tone of the original church walls. The flintwork was laid in an NHL 3.5 lime mortar mix, which allows the building to breathe naturally and will age gracefully alongside the existing structure.

The interior works involved new polychrome brickwork arches, carefully constructed to complement the Victorian character of the original nave. The decorative red and blue brick banding was matched to the existing historic detail — a demanding piece of brickwork that required considerable skill and experience to execute.

This project is one we are particularly proud of — it demonstrates exactly what MDJ Conservation stands for: authentic materials, traditional methods, and the patience to get every detail right.