Victorian Mansion Windows

The windows are the 'eyes' of a building, with enormous influence on character and appearance. This fine Victorian mansion dating from 1876 was designed by JC and C A Butler for a diplomat and local MP, in a bold Jacobean or neo-Tudor style, with some of the very latest innovations of the period including unique bronze sliding sash windows and polished plate glass (popularised by the 1851 Great Exhibition). Having been converted into a hotel and a convent, it eventually became a public school and is now also used for weddings and other functions.

Over the course of time many of the original high quality wndows had been replaced with inferior versions or disfigured by inappropriate alterations, spoiling the appearance of the listed building, and we were approached to carry out a feasibility study into their conservation and restoration. The project included archival research into the history of the house and other works by the same architect; preparing plans and recording the many windows, assessing their condition and carrying out a detailed analysis of their construction as a basis for repairs. Specialists were selected and budget costs obtained for a phased programme of like-for-like repairs to preserve the heritage value of the building. At the same time, proposals were made for unobtrusive secondary double glazing to improve energy performance. We subsequently recommended a conservation strategy to help the trustees prioritise and budget maintenance and repairs to the whole building.