Victorian Mansion Windows

This fine Victorian mansion dating from 1876 was designed by JC and C A Butler to extend and replace a previous house, in a bold Jacobean or neo-Tudor style including some of the very latest innovations of the period, such as polished plate glass and specially made bronze sliding sash windows. Having been used as a convent, it eventually became a public school and is now also used for weddings and other gatherings.

Over the course of time many of the original wndows had been replaced with inferior versions or been disfigured by inappropriate alterations, spoiling the appearance of the listed building, and Robin Kent Architecture & Conservation was approached to carry out a feasibility study into their conservation and restoration. The work included researching early photographs, the construction and history of the house, and other works by the same architect; recording the many windows and their condition, and carrying out a detailed analysis of their construction to provide a basis for deciding on repairs. Specialists were approached and budget costs obtained for a phased programme of like-for like repairs. At the same time, proposals were made for unobtrusive secondary double glazing. The consultancy has also proposed an overall conservation strategy to help the trustees prioritise repairs to the whole building.