Old Palace School – Croydon

Project Overview

The Old Palace School it the Grade I Listed Building and the former home of the Archbishops of Canterbury. It has been a school since 1887 and has been owned by the Whitgift Foundation since 1993.

Its main construction took place in the 12th, 14th and 15th centuries. The Whitgift Foundation has one of the earliest uses of brick in Britain and one of the finest medieval great halls left in southern England. A number of British monarchs from Henry VI to Elizabeth I stayed here.

Works Involved

Consultancy Works:

• Archival study
• Detailed physical assessment and recording.
• Development of remedial schedule for short, medium and longer term conservation
• Laser scanning for production of measured survey and site drawings
• Rectified photography and annotated repairs
• Annotated timeline for construction
• Development of a Conservation Management Plan for the whole site
• Stonewest then went on to complete a scheme of conservation work to stabilise the immediate needs of the fabric

Conservation Works:

• Stone replacement and mortar repairs
• Re-pointing brickwork and inserting brick indents
• Flint work repointing and replacement
• Shelter coating stone windows and door frames
• Re-rendering
• Lime washing panelling and render
• Helibar fixing repairs
• Roof tile replacement, fitting caps onto the chimneys, replacing flaunching, replacing lead flashing
• Decoration of the windows, gutters, downpipes, soffits and facias and the reception entrance door
• Repair and in some places, replacement of window frames and cills
• Removal of biological growth

Image source: https://www.croydonist.co.uk/old-palace