The Speech Room, Harrow School

The restored Speech Room at Harrow School, the full semicircular hall with its cleaned timber ceiling, repainted vaults and tiered seating

The Speech Room after restoration, its colour and gilding recovered. Photograph: Paul Highnam.

Grade I listed · School · Harrow on the Hill

The Speech Room at Harrow School, designed by William Burges in 1877, had grown dark and uneven under old varnish, smoke staining and earlier restorations. Working with Giles Quarme Architects and Daedalus Conservation, we cleaned and redecorated the painted vaults, cast iron columns and stone details, revived the polychrome paintwork above the proscenium, and cleaned and refinished the great timber ceiling until the wood regained its warmth. The gilded armorial panels above the stage were treated individually, cleaned, selectively re-gilded in 23.5ct gold and glazed back into unity. The Grade I listed room now holds its sense of ceremony again, its colour and gilding reading clearly from the tiered seats, back in daily use by the school.

Aisle of the Speech Room with restored star-spangled blue vaults, red cast iron columns and gilded capitals

The painted vaults after conservation, the cast iron columns and gilded capitals revived. Photograph: Paul Highnam.

Conserved and re-gilded armorial panels and honours boards on the oak panelling of the Speech Room

The armorial panels were treated individually, with selective re-gilding in 23.5ct gold. Photograph: Paul Highnam.

Arcade of red and white polychrome arches with starred blue vault panels above stained glass in the Speech Room

Burges’s polychrome scheme reading clearly again above the stained glass. Photograph: Paul Highnam.

Gilded column capital beneath the star-painted blue vaults of the Speech Room

A gilded capital beneath the star-painted vaults. Photograph: Paul Highnam.

The great timber ceiling of the Speech Room seen from below after cleaning, the wood glowing around the central rose

The timber ceiling regained its depth of colour as old varnish and smoke staining were lifted. Photograph: Paul Highnam.

At a glance

Client: Giles Quarme Architects and Daedalus Conservation
Grade I listed
School
Harrow on the Hill
Photography: Paul Highnam

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