Commons’ historic site sees ceiling restored

A MAJOR RESTORATION PROGRAMME running in parallel, but separate from, the Restoration and Renewal Programme of the Palace of Westminster has seen the cleaning and repair of the ceiling of the historic St Stephen's Hall, right in the heart of Parliament. St Stephen's Hall stands on the site of the royal Chapel of St Stephen's, where the House of Commons sat until the chapel was destroyed by the fire of 1834.

Marble statues of 12 famous Parliamentarians face one another on each side of the hall, positioned between eight monumental oil paintings that depict events in British history. They were protected and covered while the work took place.

The 10 stained glass windows, five on each side, depict the arms of various Parliamentary cities and boroughs. The brass chandeliers were installed in 1960, but were designed by Robert Smirke for the temporary House of Commons Chamber following the fire of 1834 which destroyed the old palace.

Scaffolding was already installed in St Stephen's Hall as part of a project to repair and restore the cast iron roof above. As the scaffold could give access to the ceiling there was an opportunity for crucial preservation work to be completed. Work began in the hall in the summer of 2021 and involved carefully inspecting the ceiling, cleaning the stonework and repairing loose elements.

A special latex coating was applied to the ceiling, which was then dried before being peeled away – removing decades of pollution damage. The innovative method was used to reach into the relief and porous surface of the stone, without leaving behind any chemicals or damaging or degrading the material.

The surveying and specification of works was undertaken by architects Donald Insall Associates and structural engineers Alan Baxter. The conservation work was carried out by DBR Ltd, overseen by Parliament’s in-house teams including conservation architects and the Heritage Collections team.

The teams were also assisted by a student, as part of a oneyear placement in the House of Commons service for university students to contribute to construction and architectural projects.

Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: “It is fantastic to see the work that has gone into improving St Stephen's Hall, which until the mid-16th century was the home of the House of Commons.

“It was here that Charles I was shunned by Speaker Lenthall, when in 1642 he stormed in to arrest five MPs. It was also the place where suffragettes protested over the lack of a right to vote for women.

“St Stephen's Hall is such an important part of our parliamentary history, so I am delighted that it has been refurbished to its former glory for all those who work here or visit to enjoy once again.” q