Chalk Restaurant

ECE Architecture

Transforming 18th-century agricultural barns into a world-class dining destination, seamlessly integrated within Wiston Estate’s comprehensive winery masterplan.

Our design celebrates historic farm buildings whilst creating contemporary dining experiences. This strategic restaurant placement within the estate’s masterplan reflects Wiston Wine’s exceptional brand quality, perfectly positioned in the South Downs National Park.

The project transformed the underutilised storage courtyard into the site’s beating heart, featuring water elements and outdoor dining spaces that breathe new life into the restored barns. This interconnected approach creates a cohesive estate experience, where each element enhances the whole.

The restaurant now accommodates 60 covers plus an intimate 10-seat private dining room with exposed flint walls and a dedicated terrace.

The restoration honours the original flint threshing barn’s agricultural heritage through exposed timber roof trusses, rafters, and purlins – each piece sensitively treated or replaced where necessary. Locally sourced vertical oak cladding from the estate, specified in three distinct widths, unifies the development whilst respecting the historic context.

This material wraps around the courtyard and links new buildings, creating visual harmony between old and new. Detailed setting-out drawings ensured precise stainless steel nail positioning, maintaining our exacting standards throughout construction.

Heritage buildings present unique challenges – particularly when a 200-year-old flint wall had degraded through water ingress, requiring complete reconstruction with integrated waterproofing solutions. Mid-construction client variations for a private dining room demanded creative service rerouting and design adaptation. Our technical expertise enabled seamless integration of modern building regulations with historic fabric preservation, ensuring structural integrity whilst maintaining authentic character.

Heritage preservation meets contemporary excellence, creating a dining destination that honours the past whilst embracing the future – a testament to thoughtful masterplanning and meticulous restoration craftsmanship.