About Hackney Historic Buildings Trust 

HHBT has been responsible for the protection and conservation of a wide range of buildings in the London Borough of Hackney. Working with English Heritage, Hackney Council and other local and national organizations the Trust has assured the maintenance and continued use of buildings such as Hackney's Oldest Building St Augustine's Tower, St. Bartholomew's Vicarage in Dalston and perhaps it's most important building; the Round Chapel which HHBT owns and runs as a community and arts space. 

HHBT has acted on behalf of English Heritage and London Borough of Hackney as project managers for feasibility studies for the repair and conservation of Maberly Chapel, Balls Pond Road, N1; the Portico, Linscott Road, E5: the New Lansdowne Club, Mare Street, E8 and Pond House, Lower Clapton Road, E5.

In recent years, HHBT has been active at St Augustine’s Tower, with the restoration of the Worship Street Drinking Fountain and with the refurbishment and sale of two houses at nos. 27-9, New North Road, N1. 

Current projects include the restoration of St Augustine’s Tower where a Heritage Lottery Fund grant has allowed a major refurbishment during 2005-6 and on-going fundraising for further works to the Round Chapel. The Trust continues to seek new projects to work on and is currently exploring options to preserve a 19th century Grade II mission school in Lea Bridge Road, E5. 

The Trust opens the doors to all its buildings during Open House London, as well as for organized tours, walks and to student groups. It also provides information and advice to the general public about historic buildings and conservation in Hackney. 

Meet the Team

Volunteer trustees meet every quarter to oversee the management of the Trust. They are assisted by a multiskilled team of 4 staff who are responsible for running the organisation as well as maintaining and restoring the buildings managed by HHBT and running events at the Grade ii* listed Round Chapel and Grade i listed St. Augustine’s Tower - Hackney’s Oldest Building.

Philip Lloyd (General Manager)

Janet Cantrill (Venue Technician & Duty Manager)

Loxley Japal (Venue Technician)

Nirmala Kesumadewi Endrojono (Communications)

Current Trustees of HHBT

  • Patrick Hammill

    Patrick Hammill

    CHAIR

    Patrick lives in Hackney and was an architect and a consultant for Urban Regeneration. Until retiring, he was Divisional Director for Urban Regeneration at architects Levitt Bernstein. Over many years he has developed considerable experience of managing charities serving communities in London. Previously as Chair of the Hackney Society he helped found the HHBT, and has also been a board member of other environmental charities in Hackney and London.

  • Derrick Turner

    Derrick Turner

    TREASURER

    Originally from Edinburgh, Derrick Turner has lived in North East London (London Fields, Bethnal Green, Clerkenwell, Bow) since 2013, and has served as Treasurer of HHBT since the start of 2015. He is a Chartered Management Accountant with over 18 years experience in the Real Estate sector, currently with the Relentless Group in Manchester. He also serves as Treasurer of Co-op Homes, based in Teddington, and sits on the Audit and Investment Committees of Richmond Housing Partnership.

  • Hannah Parham

    Hannah Parham

    Hannah Parham is a project manager who specialises in the regeneration of historic buildings. She works for the Churches Conservation Trust where she manages projects to revitalise and sustain redundant historic church buildings at risk, including major projects funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund in the Midlands and by the Architectural Heritage Fund in the North of England. Before joining CCT in 2020, Hannah led the Historic Buildings Consultancy team at Donald Insall Associates, an architectural practice which specialises in the conservation and renewal of historic buildings and places. Here she worked with owners and managers of listed buildings – including the Parliamentary Estate, the Crown Estate, private developers, universities and cultural and heritage organisations – to develop sensitive proposals for change. Hannah’s career began at English Heritage (now Historic England) where she was an advisor to the Government on the listing of buildings in London and the South East. Hannah is on the National Trust's Historic Environment Advisory Group and the Southern Buildings Committee of the Victorian Society. She has degrees in history and architectural history, and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

  • Robert Davies

    Robert Davies

    Robert moved to East London in 2013 and has been a resident of Hackney since 2020. An experienced property management professional, mobilising and managing prestigious mixed-use estates and trophy commercial buildings in central London. He is passionate about sustainable developments and studies History and American Studies at university.

  • Janet Chapman

    Janet Chapman

    Janet has lived in Hackney since 1985. She is also the Chair of Hackney Society which organises events, publishes books about Hackney’s history and has groups scrutinising and advising on planning applications and buildings at risk.  She is also founder of Hackney History Festival, a month long celebration of Hackney’s diverse heritage which started in 2024.

  • Regine Kandan

    Regine Kandan

    Regine Kandan is an Architect and an associate at Donald Insall Associates with over 15 years’ experience working with historic sites. Her portfolio fuses contemporary design with careful adaptation of heritage environments. Current projects include repairs at the Palace of Westminster, interior projects for Historic Royal Palaces and a retrofit project for Grosvenor Estate. Her strengths and experience lie in the sensitive adaptation and reuse of historic buildings to ensure the longevity and continued use of our built heritage. At the core of her interest is the desire to conserve and celebrate the ‘sense of place’ in the context of her work. In the past, she has critiqued and advised on student work at the University of Manchester and Nihon Fukushi University. Regine is also a member of the Hackney and Newham Design Review Panels.

  • Cath Smith

    Cath Smith

    Cath moved to East London in 1985 and is a Hackney resident. As an Executive Headteacher in Tower Hamlets and Greenwich, she brings leadership, management and governance experience to the Trust. Cath has considerable experience of working on charity Boards and is Chair of Bow Arts Trust and of the Box Clever Theatre Company.

  • Crispin Truman

    Crispin Truman

    Crispin Truman is the director of the Rayne Foundation, a UK grant-making trust supporting charities in social care, community development and the arts. He has over 25 years’ experience of charity leadership, working across sectors and with all levels of government. He was previously CEO of CPRE, the countryside charity, CEO of the Churches Conservation Trust for 14 years and of Revolving Doors Agency before that. Crispin has chaired and been trustee of several organisations including UK and European heritage networks, Rethink Mental Illness, the London Cycling Campaign and was chair of governors at Stoke Newington School in London. He was awarded the OBE for services to charity and heritage in 2017.

  • Nick Walker

    Nick Walker

    Nick is a digital transformation and change specialist with over 16 years’ experience leading major change programmes across public and private sector roles. He currently works in the Civil Service, where he focuses on technology transformation and strategy. Nick studied History of Art and Anthropology at university, with a focus on the late medieval period in East England. He is particularly interested in the intersection between the heritage, arts and education sectors, and in how to engage and excite the public around the historic buildings the Trust cares for.