Towneley Hall Repairs
A programme of major repairs to Towneley Hall will take place from October 2022 and will be completed in early 2025.
The repair works will affect public access to the building and its appearance:
During the work, parts of the hall will be closed to the public to enable internal repairs to be carried out.
Each wing will be covered (in turn) by scaffolding and a temporary roof.
The courtyard at the front of the hall will be used as a compound by the building contractor.
The council apologises for any inconvenience while these essential repairs are being carried out.
Programme
The repairs are being undertaken in three phases:
- Great Hall: October 2022 to June 2023
(Internal work to Great Hall
ceiling to complete May 2024) - South Wing: June 2023 to January 2024
- North Wing: Feb 2024 to Dec 2024
What work are we doing?
- Roofs and guttering: Re-roofing of each of the three wings of the Hall with new Cumbrian slates and replacing gutters and rainwater systems.
- Stonework: Repointing of high-level stonework and rebuilding sections of the west wing (Great Hall), where the outer leaf of the wall has become detached from the inner structure.
- Great Hall: Repairs of 1730s’ ornate plaster ceiling, including re-fixing detached cornices, replacing the decayed timber support framework, replacing tensioned wire supports and repainting.
- South Wing: Provision of tensional supports from the roof trusses to address long term deflection of the timber beams to first floor Long Gallery which is affecting the stability of ceilings in the red and green regency rooms.
- Windows: Repair and repainting of 130 windows in the hall.
- North Wing: Timber treatments and replacement of environmental control systems in the art gallery
The repair works have been designed and are being supervised by conservation specialists, Knox McConnell Architects and the repairs are being carried out by Historic Property Restoration Ltd.
The cost of the work is being part-funded by a grant from the Arts Council.
