Cliveden Conservation

What Cliveden Conservation does

Cliveden Conservation Workshop Ltd. is a privately-held, family-owned UK heritage conservation practice founded in 1988 by Trevor Proudfoot and headquartered at the Cliveden Estate in Taplow, Berkshire. The firm specialises in the conservation of statuary, masonry, terracotta, mosaics, decorative plasterwork, and wall paintings, delivered through three regional workshops covering Berkshire, Somerset (Bath), and the East of England (Stowmarket, Suffolk). Its core services span stonework cleaning and repair, plaster stabilisation, decorative-arts conservation led by ICON-accredited practitioners, and advisory services backed by in-house laboratory material analysis. A complementary Winter Covers product line protects outdoor sculpture from weather damage, and a Heritage Skills & Training offering delivers apprenticeships in partnership with the King's Foundation.

Cliveden Conservation operates a project-based professional-services model, secured through competitive tendering and direct appointments with heritage asset owners. Its customer base is concentrated in UK heritage institutions — principally the National Trust, Church of England and Roman Catholic cathedrals (Wells, Bristol, Nottingham, St Albans), English Heritage, Historic England, museums (Dorset, Burrell Collection, Salisbury), universities (Christ Church Oxford), and local authorities (Reading Borough Council). Many engagements are large, multi-year and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England grants, or institutional capital budgets. Notable projects include the Cybele and Juno statue recreation at Stowe, the Pugin decorative scheme restoration at Nottingham Cathedral, the Seafarers' Chapel floor at Bristol Cathedral, and a 2000-year-old mosaic move at Dorset Museum.

The business is differentiated by a talent moat of accredited and award-winning conservators (SPAB Master Craftsman, Stone Federation Natural Stone Awards, Duke of Gloucester Award, ICON accreditation), 35+ years of portfolio depth, and earned-media visibility through BBC Two's 'Hidden Treasures of the National Trust'. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales into a small number of heritage-sector procurers, with PR, industry exhibitions (Museums + Heritage Show), and training partnerships (Stone Federation, WREN300, King's Foundation) supporting brand awareness and pipeline. The company employs between 11 and 50 staff across its three sites, remains independently owned by the Proudfoot family, and does not use external capital or operate outside the United Kingdom.

Name

Cliveden Conservation

Legal name

Cliveden Conservation Workshop Ltd.

Website

https://clivedenconservation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cliveden Conservation is a family-owned UK heritage conservation practice specialising in stonework, plasterwork, decorative arts, and mosaics, serving cathedrals, the National Trust, museums, and historic estates from three regional workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heritage conservation and restoration services

akta.pro primary industry

Historic Preservation & Conservation Planning (BPAHAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Natural Stone Cleaning, Polishing & Restoration (Marble/Granite/Travertine/Limestone) (HSAEAOAA)

Keywords

• Heritage conservation services
• Stonework conservation
• Decorative arts restoration
• Historic building preservation
• Statuary and masonry repair

Headquarters

HQ city

Taplow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Heritage Conservation Services: Professional conservation and restoration services for historic buildings, monuments, statues, and decorative arts. Services include stonework, plasterwork, decorative arts conservation, and advisory services. Projects are typically commissioned on a per-project basis through competitive tendering or direct appointment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cliveden Conservation provides specialist conservation and restoration services for historic buildings, monuments, statuary, and decorative arts, covering stonework, plaster, decorative arts (terracotta, mosaics, wall paintings), and advisory/material analysis. It also offers Winter Covers as a physical product to protect outdoor sculpture and runs heritage skills training and apprenticeship programmes. Services are delivered from workshops in Berkshire, Somerset and East of England, commissioned via tender or direct appointment.

Product overview

Cliveden Conservation is a heritage conservation and consultancy firm offering specialist services in stonework, plasterwork, decorative arts, and material analysis. The company operates workshops in Berkshire, Somerset, and Norfolk, providing expert conservation treatments for historic buildings, monuments, sculptures, mosaics, and decorative surfaces. Their service portfolio includes core conservation services (Stonework, Plaster, Decorative Arts, Advisory & Analysis), a product line (Winter Covers for protecting outdoor statuary), and heritage training programs. The company serves clients including the National Trust, cathedrals, museums, and private estates, with over 35 years of award-winning experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stonework Conservation Services Specialist cleaning, repair and reinstatement of stonework for historic buildings, monuments and statuary using like-for-like materials and traditional skills, including commissions to replace missing elements, handcrafted architectural stonework, lettering, and logistics for moving statuary. For heritage institutions, cathedrals, National Trust properties, museums and private estate owners.
• Plaster Conservation Services Stabilisation and repair of decorative plasterwork (ceilings, friezes, cast sculpture and decorative objects), including replication of historic detailing, freehand modelling, mortar analysis and trials, and conservation/restoration of fibrous and lime-based plaster. For heritage property owners, cathedrals, museums and colleges.
• Decorative Arts Conservation Services Repair and conservation of stone, terracotta, monuments, mosaics, sculpture, gilding, decorative surfaces and polychrome by ICON-accredited conservators, plus ongoing care and maintenance of house collections and garden sculpture. For heritage institutions, museums, cathedrals and private estates.
• Advisory Services and Material Analysis Investigation of structural stability of historic buildings and objects, identification of decay and failure, in-house laboratory and partner-led material analysis, and delivery of comprehensive Condition Reports specifying conservation treatment. For heritage clients planning conservation projects or tenders.
• Winter Covers for Outdoor Statuary Specialist protective covers for outdoor sculpture and decorative stonework designed to prevent winter weather damage, cracking and erosion. Supplied to owners of historic outdoor statuary and gardens.
• Heritage Skills & Training Heritage conservation training programmes and Building Craft Apprenticeships in partnership with The King's Foundation (formerly Prince's Foundation) and CITB, developing the next generation of stonemasons, plasterers and decorative arts craftspeople.

Quantifiable outcome

• Award-winning conservation projects recognised by Stone Federation, Oxford Preservation Trust, and other heritage bodies
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stone FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Partnership to deliver Lime Training Day at Reading Abbey Ruins. Stone Federation is the official trade association for the natural stone industry.
• Small World ConsultingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Partnership to build a Net Zero Action Plan. Small World Consulting is a leading expert in measuring the carbon and climate impact of organisations, helping Cliveden Conservation develop sustainability strategies.
• Prince's FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2016Long-standing partnership providing Building Craft Apprenticeship placements. Students from the Prince's Foundation work alongside Cliveden Conservation's skilled craftsmen on heritage projects.
• Wren300minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Wren300 tercentenary celebration of Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723), delivering conservation workshops (stone, wood, plaster, metal and glass).
• Heritage Lottery FundcoreOthersJoint funding partner for Reading Abbey Revealed £3 million project. Also funding Nottingham Cathedral Pugin restoration (£1.69m grant).
• Historic EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner for heritage at risk projects including the Campbell Family Mausoleum. Provides grants and regulatory oversight.
• National TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor client for conservation projects across multiple properties including Stowe House, Croome Court, Saltram House, Anglesey Abbey, and others.
• English HeritageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Baconsthorpe Castle conservation and public engagement events.
• Historic Chapels TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAppointed to carry out works at Walpole Old Chapel in collaboration with Ptolemy Dean Architects.
• ICON (Institute of Conservation)coreOthersProfessional membership body. Cliveden Conservation's team includes ICON-accredited conservators.
• IIC (International Institute of Conservation)coreOthersProfessional membership body for international conservation standards.
• Stone Federation UK (SFUK)coreOthersTrade association membership. Cliveden Conservation has won multiple Natural Stone Awards from this federation.
• FSB (Federation of Small Businesses)minorOthersBusiness membership organisation for small businesses in the UK.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Morton Partnership: Consulting structural and conservation engineers specialising in historic buildings, cathedrals and monuments. Comparable in heritage-sector focus and advisory/material analysis scope, often engaged alongside or in competition with Cliveden on complex projects.
• Stonewest: UK specialist stone masonry and conservation contractor working on cathedrals, monuments and historic estates. Closest direct comparable to Cliveden's stonework practice in scale, craft focus and client base (churches, heritage trusts, local authorities).
• Cathedral Works Organisation (CWO): Charity-affiliated conservation contractor dedicated to cathedral and church fabric, including stone, plaster and decorative arts. Direct peer for Cliveden's cathedral portfolio (Wells, Bristol, St Albans, Nottingham) and a competitor in tender processes.
• Skillington Workshops: Specialist heritage stonemasonry and conservation workshop delivering repair and replication work for churches, cathedrals and historic buildings. Directly comparable in craft specialism, traditional 'like-for-like' approach and ecclesiastical client base.
• Wessex Conservation Services: Heritage conservation contractor covering stone, plaster and decorative works across the south of England. Direct competitor for cathedral, National Trust and council tenders where Cliveden also bids.

Broad incumbents

• Donald Insall Associates: Long-established heritage architecture and conservation consultancy with a much larger practice. Competes for advisory, planning and project-lead roles on the same cathedrals, National Trust and listed-building briefs that Cliveden services on the conservation execution side.
• Purcell: Major UK architecture practice with a dedicated heritage and conservation team. Acts as lead designer on many of the cathedral and historic estate projects where Cliveden is contractor, making it both a partner and competitor in the heritage ecosystem.
• Historic England (in-house conservation team): Public body that both funds/regulates and directly delivers heritage-at-risk conservation works. Competes for and commissions projects in Cliveden's niche, and shapes the funding environment for the firm's cathedral and National Trust work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/clivedenconserv
• Facebookfacebook.com/Clivedenconservation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cliveden-conservation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cliveden Conservation