Contents
Historical Background
2
Stone Conservation Programme
3
New Palace Yard
4
Westminster Hall and Peers' West
Front 4
Speaker's Green Elevation
4
The Clock Tower
5
The River Front and Chancellor's Tower5
The Central Tower
6
Black Rod's Garden Elevation
6
The Victoria Tower (Phase VIII 1990-94) 6
Introduction 6
Survey and Inspection
6
Scaffolding and Preliminary Work
7
Stonecleaning 7
Repairs and Repointing
7
Stone Pinnacles
7
Roof Works
7
Decoration and Gilding
8
Miscellaneous Work
8
Contact information
10
Feedback form
11
Factsheet G12
General Series
Revised August 2003
House of Commons Information Office
Restoration of the Palace
of Westminster:
1981-94
After many years of exposure to the air pollution
of London (especially from coal fires) the external
façades of the Palace of Westminster needed
restoration. This factsheet explains about the
restoration that occurred between 1981 and
1994.
This Factsheet is available on the internet
through:
http://www.parliament.uk/factsheets
August 2003
FS No.G12 Ed 3.2 Pr 1
ISSN 0144-4689
© Parliamentary Copyright
(House of Commons) 2003
May be reproduced for purposes of
private study or research without
permission.
Reproduction for sale or other
commercial purposes not permitted.
Restoration of the Palace of Westminster: 1981-94
House of Commons Information Office Factsheet G12
2
Historical Background
The planners of the New Palace of Westminster were aware, from the effect of coal burning on
London's stone buildings, that the choice of a suitable stone was important. Expert advice
pointed towards magnesian limestone, used in Westminster Hall, and a committee consisting of
Sir Charles Barry, the architect, two leading geologists, and a stone carver toured the country in
1839 looking at quarries and buildings. Anston Quarry in Yorkshire was eventually chosen
because the stone could be supplied in blocks up to four feet thick and it lent itself to elaborate
carving. Moreover, this quarry was cheaper than the other quarries considered.
The first stone of the building was laid by the architect's wife on 27 August 1840; the House of
Lords first sat in their new chamber in 1847; the House of Commons in 1852. When Barry
died on 12 May 1860, the main work on the new Palace was complete; there remained certain
minor works including the restoration of the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft, the colonnade and
railings in New Palace Yard and the glazed lantern and the ironwork of the roof of the Victoria
Tower.
Defects in the choice of stone were apparent in 1849. Barry experimented with various
compositions on the stone that even then had been damaged, and believed the decay had been
halted. A committee of experts, including Barry's son and his successor as architect, was
appointed in 1861 to investigate the decay of the stone. The Committee's conclusions on the
cause of the decay pointed towards the harmful effects of the polluted atmosphere of London
and the quality of the material used. C.H. Smith, one of the Commissioners who selected
Anston stone, had offered to inspect the stone, had offered to inspect the blocks at the quarry,
provided he was paid £150 a year. The 1861 Committee regretted that Smith's proposals had
not been accepted, owing to the difficulty over whether the Office of Works or the architect was
responsible for ‘this unimportant amount.' However, the 1861 Committee held that the stone
was durable and a remedy would be found to arrest or control its decay.
In 1926, the Office of Works prepared a memorandum on the defective condition of the
stonework. Between 1861 and 1913, nothing significant had been done to investigate or to
prevent decay. However, since 1913, the building had been under close observation. A large
fragment fell from the Victoria Tower in 1920 and on the Terrace Members were advised to sit
near the river rather than underneath the main wall of the building. These events led to a
systematic examination of the stonework on the entire building. There had been considerable
handpicking of the stone between 1913 and 1925; approximately 175 tons were removed by
hand, while in 1926 another 25 tons were ready for removal. Handpicking was denuding the
building of its decorative features. Decay was now attributed firmly to the poor choice of stone
blocks used on site, aggravated by the atmospheric conditions in London, and by the failure to
mark the stone so that it was laid in its natural bed - in other words, in the same place as that it
had in the ground - in the building.
The Office proposed that the stonework be restored over a period of 12-18 years and that the
new stone should be carefully selected and rough-shaped at the quarry to minimise faults. In
view of the cost of carving a hard stone, the Office proposed that elaborate detail not visible from
the ground should be simplified. For instance, the open semi-crowns, especially those high up
at roof level, were considered inessential: they would therefore be carved with an infilling to
represent velvet, thus giving them a solid bedding into the framework, preserving the
architectural effect, and "meeting the needs of economy". Work on the stone progressed during
the 1930s until it was halted during the War. The scaffolding erected in 1936 around the
Victoria Tower was left in place. Work on the exterior of the Victoria Tower was finally
Restoration of the Palace of Westminster: 1981-94
House of Commons Information Office Factsheet G12
3
completed in the early 1950s. Pollution continued to take its toll and by the late 1960s it
became clear that major repairs were once again necessary.
Stone Conservation Programme
The effects of all these early repairs - with new stone and pointing - were to make the Palace
appear as a patchwork quilt. By the 1960s questions were being asked in the House of
Commons, and one Member said the Palace looked like ‘Joseph's multi-coloured coat'.
It was also clear the decay in the stonework was continuing unabated, and in 1971 the newly
formed Department of the Environment was asked to investigate and advise on "the feasibility of
cleaning the stone facades of the Palace of Westminster". A working group of experts was
formed which consisted of the Directorate of Works London, the Directorate of Ancient
Monuments and Historic Buildings - the forerunner of English Heritage - and the Building
Research Establishment, supported by various specialists. It was agreed that the South
Elevation of the Palace - Black Rod's Garden elevation - could be used for experiment and trials,
since there was little knowledge or experience of stone cleaning techniques available at that
time.
Much pioneering work was done to select the best method of cleaning the stone, and to identify
the likely problems and an indication of costs. The trials - which were of great benefit to the
fledgling stone cleaning industry - also revealed the full extent of likely repairs. These ranged
from complete recarving of statues, replacement stone blocks, in situ conservation techniques
and basic maintenance such as repointing. Three clear categories emerged and these were
classified as "Repair, Restoration and Conservation" - RRC for short.
Since 1928, stone used in the restoration of the exterior of the Palace had been Clipsham, an
oolitic limestone from Medwells Quarry near the village of Clipsham, in Rutland. The stone was
quarried in the traditional manner and carefully selected and marked to ensure correct face
bedding. The working group found it had worn well over years and recommended its continued
use.
The results of the feasibility study were published by the Department of the Environment in
1973. The report recommended the complete and systematic restoration of the external facades
of the Palace of Westminster. The report and recommendations were eventually supported by
Ministers and the "RRC Stone Restoration Programme" was born. This divided the restoration of
the external facades into eight separate phases of work:-
Phase I
New Palace Yard
1981 – 1982
Phase II
Westminster Halls and Peers’ West Front
1982 – 1984
Phase III
Speakers Green
1982 – 1984
Phase IV
The Clock Tower
1982 – 1985
Phase
V
The River Elevation and Chancellor’s
Tower
1985 – 1986
Phase VI
The Central Tower
1986 – 1989
Phase VII
Black Rods Garden Elevation
1990 – 1991
Phase VIII
The Victoria Tower
1990 – 1994
Restoration of the Palace of Westminster: 1981-94
House of Commons Information Office Factsheet G12
4
It was one of the largest and most complex stone restoration projects ever undertaken in Europe.
The work was planned and managed by the Parliamentary Works Office, part of the Department
of the Environment, until 1992. Following the Parliamentary Corporate Bodies Act 1992, the
Parliamentary Works Directorate (Serjeant at Arms Department, House of Commons) has been
responsible for continuing the restoration programme.
New Palace Yard
(Phase I 1981-82)
The Commons West Front faces on to New Palace Yard, with the grand Colonnade in Portland
stone added in 1866-69 by Barry's son, Edward.
On close inspection the stonework was found to be in fairly good condition, although extensive
repointing was necessary. Statuary and heraldic devices required extensive repairs, some of
which were done off site by a team of carvers.
The first stage of the restoration was carefully to clean the stone by water washing and hand
brushing. The removal of the layers of dirt and pollution revealed once again the contrast
between the crisp white of the Portland stone used in the Colonnade and the warm honey-
coloured Anston used in the main building.
Westminster Hall and Peers' West Front
(Phase II 1982-84)
An interesting feature of this phase was the variety of historical styles and differing stones used
in the original construction. Westminster Hall (1394-99) was one of the few parts of the Old
Palace which survived the fire of 1834. The west side of the Hall includes a sympathetic
extension by J.L. Pearson (1888), which exposed the original flying buttresses. In 1822 Sir
John Soane rebuilt the two towers and the main entrance in Bath stone.
The West Front facing Old Palace Yard was among the last sections to be completed 1852-
1860 by Barry. This elevation contains very few statues, but there is an abundance of
decorative carvings, elegant window tracery, shields, bosses, and crocketed pinnacles.
The delicate condition of the stone of the medieval carvings on the west side of Westminster Hall
above the Pearson extension made normal water washing techniques unsuitable. A combination
of poultice treatment and mild air-abrasive pencil gun methods were used. The cleaning of
stonework revealed that a section of wall, previously damaged by a serious fire following a bomb
explosion on 17 June 1974, was unsafe and had to be rebuilt. To prevent further deterioration
and damage to the carvings, a lead covering was added to the upper cornice. The medieval
carvings themselves were consolidated using Brethane.
Restoration and repair work on the Peers' West Front included the recarving of heraldic devices,
repointing, the regilding of standards, orbs and crosses, the installation of pigeon netting and
work on Sir Ninian Comper's stained glass memorial window in the south wall of St Stephen's
Porch.
Speaker's Green Elevation
(Phase III 1982-84)
The Speaker's Green elevation runs from the Clock Tower towards the River Thames and
includes the Speaker's Tower. The elevation contains two pairs of windows to each bay between
piers; the bays are separated by niches containing statues of Kings and Queens of England from
the Heptarchy to the Norman Conquest, in historically appropriate costume.
Restoration of the Palace of Westminster: 1981-94
House of Commons Information Office Factsheet G12
5
Strict controls were placed on the amount of water used in the cleaning process owing to the
proximity of the fine interiors of the State Rooms in Speaker's House. The cleaned stone was
found to have suffered bomb damage during the Second World War. Both here and at the rear
of Speaker's Tower several areas of stonework were replaced where there was a risk of structural
failure or water penetration. Many of the carved features such as sceptres, badges and
inscriptions were carefully repaired and conserved by injecting resins to conserve the stone and
reduce the rate of decay.
The Clock Tower
(Phase IV - 1982-85)
The Clock Tower - often (erroneously) called Big Ben - is 314 feet high. It is constructed on a
framework of cast iron girders, with Caen stone and brickwork for the interior and Anston
(original) and Clipsham (replacement) stone for the exterior.
In 1934 the Clock Tower received a wash and facelift to repair damage caused by years of soot,
smog and pigeons. This had been undone by the 1970s: the 1982 repair, restoration and
conservation works required a massive scaffolding, using a total of 27 miles of tubing. The
stonework was cleaned using water washing techniques. Various repairs were carried out.
An interesting aspect of this phase was survey and restoration of the clock faces. The minute
hands are made of copper sheet, hollowed and fashioned into shape. They are 14 ft long and
weigh 2 cwt each. The hour hands are of solid gun metal, weigh 6 cwt and are 6 ft long. All
the components were inspected and tested using x-ray analysis in conjunction with scientists
from the Atomic Research Establishment at Harwell. The hands were then repaired and
repainted.
Another important aspect of this phase was the repair and restoration of the cast iron roof and
lantern. The tiles were first shot-blasted to remove grime and corroded paintwork followed by
inspection and extensive repairs, an anti-corrosion treatment of hot zinc spray and sealing with a
paint system.
After proper historical research and analysis of the existing paint layer, extensive redecoration
and gilding works were carried out to the metal work, clockface, shields and heraldic devices
and surrounding details, so as to return the Clock Tower to its former glory. In all 4000 books of
gold leaf were used.
The River Front and Chancellor's Tower
(Phase V - 1985-86)
The river front comprises Speaker's Tower and Chancellor's Tower with two further smaller
towers dividing the main elevation into thirds, the central section being raised an additional
storey. The raised River Terrace has a retaining wall comprising a granite lower section and an
upper section in original Anston and restored Clipsham.
Owing to the risk to the libraries from water penetration, the stonework was cleaned by mild air
abrasive techniques, which required great care in the selection of nozzle sizes and pressures to
minimise any damage.
The condition of the stonework was found to be considerably worse on this phase and more
extensive repairs had to be carried out. Of particular interest was the replacement of the large
carved panels on Chancellor's Tower. Owing to the quantity of stone required it was necessary
to augment the Clipsham stone with Anstrude stone from France. Other works carried out
included the gilding of standards, orbs and crosses; renewal of lead flashings; cleaning of the
Restoration of the Palace of Westminster: 1981-94
House of Commons Information Office Factsheet G12
6
river wall; repointings and painting the metalwork.
The Central Tower
(Phase VI 1986-89)
The Central Tower was originally designed to act as a great chimney for both vitiated air and
smoke from open fires. Barry turned a purely engineering necessity into a great Gothic Spire
soaring 300 ft in the air.
Because of the complex arrangement of pinnacles, it was necessary to ensure that the entire
scaffolding system was independent and self-supporting. As part of the restoration works
pinnacles, which had been missing since the Second World War, were rebuilt.
Other restoration works included the rebuilding of unstable pinnacles, the replacement of
decayed and fractured window tracery, the regilding of standards, orbs and crosses, repairs to
the stained glass in the lower lantern, and the installation of a stainless steel reinforcing band to
the structure of the upper lantern.
Black Rod's Garden Elevation
(Phase VII 1990-91)
Because of the extensive cleaning trials that were carried out on the South Elevation between
1971 and 1972 the surface of the stone was relatively clean. Some build up of pollution had
occurred, however, mainly from particulate matter from car exhaust fumes. The elevation itself
was also patchy in appearance between bays and this was ascribed to the different cleaning
techniques used in the earlier trials. It was therefore decided to clean the stonework lightly to
give a uniform appearance and to carry out a full inspection to determine the extent of decay.
This elevation contains numerous statues and heraldic devices, and these were found to be in a
satisfactory condition. During inspections defective ashlar was identified in a number of bays
and this was replaced with new stone. Extensive repointing was also carried out and a number
of the small pinnacles at roof parapet level were taken down and rebuilt and the orbs and
crosses regilded.
The Victoria Tower (Phase VIII 1990-94)
Introduction
In many ways the Victoria Tower restoration was the most challenging and complex phase of the
RRC programme. Often its sheer size is not appreciated.
At the time of its construction it was the tallest building in the world, four times larger on plan
than the Clock Tower. There were other complications as well. For example: constant access
was needed both through the Sovereign's Entrance and the site compound in Black Rod's Garden
for emergency vehicles, ancient manuscripts stored in the Tower meant that dust and water had
to be excluded at all costs, Peers and Law Lords either side of the Tower were to remain in
occupation and the State Opening of Parliament required access for the Sovereign's coach as
well as the BBC outside broadcasting engineers and the Royal Corps of Signals!
Survey and Inspection
In planning the present restoration, one of the first tasks was to ascertain its overall condition
and to identify particular problem areas. In late 1988 and early 1989, a team of surveyors had
carried out a detailed inspection of the external masonry using high-powered binoculars. This
was followed by a careful examination of the statuary and decorative details using a system of
cradles suspended from the roof. The information obtained from these surveys formed the basis
Restoration of the Palace of Westminster: 1981-94
House of Commons Information Office Factsheet G12
7
for the contract specifications, drawings and detailed estimates.
The detailed survey had revealed that, whilst most of the statuary was in a sound condition, the
crown pinnacles and some of the lion pinnacles were showing signs of deterioration. Although
the stonework was generally in a good condition, the build up of pollution from coal burning in
the late 19th and early 20th centuries - and more recently from exhaust emissions - had taken
its toll in various locations. It is a credit to those involved with the initial surveys that very little
additional work was found necessary on site and the project finished within budget and ahead of
programme.
Scaffolding and Preliminary Work
The intricate web of scaffolding that encased the Victoria Tower for three years was the subject
of considerable interest and comment. With its 68 miles of scaffold tube, and its 125,000
fittings it was one of the largest independent scaffolds in Europe. The entire scaffolding,
weighing 1,000 tonnes, was supported by a system of heavy duty structural steel Bailey Bridges
and Towers. This load was transferred on to a ring of concrete piles cast at strategic points
around the base of the Tower to a depth of 26m. Engineers carefully monitored the scaffolding
to ensure that the stability of the Tower was not affected by the works.
Once the scaffolding was clad in protective sheeting, the interior of the Tower - containing many
important historic Parliamentary archives - was connected to a mechanical ventilation and
filtration system located in Black Rod's Garden. This ensured that stable environmental
conditions were maintained in the archive rooms throughout the restoration process.
Restoration and Conservation Work
Stonecleaning
Once a proper access system was in place, the first basic task was to remove the accumulation
of dirt and pollution from coal burning and exhaust emissions. This cancerous growth had eaten
into the limestone and begun to attack its crystalline structure, causing decay and spalling. The
cleaning process consisted of a combination of water washing and hand brushing, air abrasive
techniques and poultices.
Repairs and Repointing
After cleaning, each area was reinspected and a detailed schedule of works was prepared.
Altogether 1,200 individual repairs were carried out and 7,000 yards of defective joints were
repointed, 1,000 cubic feet of decayed or defective stonework was replaced and over 100
shields or heraldic devices were recarved on site by a team of stonemasons.
Stone Pinnacles
Non-destructive testing of the lion pinnacles on the four Corner turrets and the crown pinnacles
on the roof parapets revealed that a number were unstable. In view of the risk to public safety,
six crown pinnacles and thirty-two lion pinnacles were taken down and rebuilt using salvaged
stone and stainless steel dowel bars. The opportunity was also taken to reintroduce the gilded
standards to the lion pinnacles, thus restoring Barry's original scheme.
Roof Works
Various types of repair were carried out on the extensive cast-iron roof, including stitching of
cracked tiles and cast-iron components, renewing fixings and replacing a small number of
castings. The cast-iron roof and flagmast were cleaned back to bare metal and given an anti-
corrosion treatment of hot zinc spray, followed by a proprietary paint system.
Restoration of the Palace of Westminster: 1981-94
House of Commons Information Office Factsheet G12
8
Decoration and Gilding
Historical research and site inspection revealed that the original extent of gilding to the cast-iron
decorative features on the roof had been much more extensive. A large amount of overpointing
had occurred during the 20th century and the loss of gilding was now in marked contrast to the
restored Clock Tower.
Samples of the existing paint were taken from all parts of the roof for laboratory examination,
and this evidence together with historical research, provided an accurate account of the original
decorative scheme. Teams of craftsmen faithfully restored the decoration and gilding to its
former glory and the completed scheme achieves a balance with the restored Clock Tower at the
north end of the building.
Miscellaneous Work
Pigeons are a perennial problem at the Palace and a system of netting now protects statues and
other vulnerable points. The opportunity was also taken to comply with the latest British
Standards Code of Practice on lightning protection and a new system, carefully concealed, now
protects the Tower.
Anyone who lives in an old building knows that it is expensive to maintain. Time is an
unfriendly guardian of buildings, and worse are pollution and decay. The Palace of Westminster
was a building that set its stamp on an era. We of a generation used to soaring towers and
massive buildings can have little conception of the impact it had on the mid-Victorian
imagination, but without doubt the Palace was the most influential and most far-sighted of its
generation. To those who come after falls the job of conserving, making good, and interpreting
Barry and Pugin's masterwork, and also of undoing the shortcuts and unsympathetic adaptations
of those who lived through a time when Victorian work was deeply unfashionable. The cleaning
and restoration of the Great Palace - a World Heritage Site - has been achieved only with
massive effort, by expert and artisan; and at great expense. This Factsheet has tried to chronicle
the work for posterity.
The purpose of this Fact Sheet is to provide an informative account of the history, planning and
restoration work undertaken between 1981 and 1993. It is not intended as a definitive
documentary record of the restoration.
A detailed archive report on each phase is in preparation which will document all aspects of
planning, specifications and bills of quantity; contact action; scaffolding; access and logistics;
survey and inspection; the extent and location of repairs; restoration and conservation work;
lightning protection; miscellaneous works; photogram metric records; and progress and
completion photographs.
These documents, running to several volumes, will be deposited in the House of Lords Records
Office and in the technical library of the Parliamentary Works Directorate. This archive
information as well as being an invaluable source of information for architectural historians
recording the buildings' history over time, will also be essential to those who come after us and
continue the tradition of conserving and where necessary restoring Barry and Pagan’s Palace.
The completion of the restoration of the Victoria Tower in 1994 brings to a conclusion the major
programme of external stone repair, restoration and conservation which commenced in 1981.
The restoration work relied on the skills and expertise of many individuals and was characterised
throughout by a dedication to a great goal - that of preserving our heritage for future generations.
Restoration of the Palace of Westminster: 1981-94
House of Commons Information Office Factsheet G12
9
As a result of the high standard of conservation and restoration work, the Palace of Westminster
has received numerous awards and commendations. The most recent of which was the award
of the Worshipful Company of Masons, presented by the Lord Mayor of London in November
1994.
Restoration of the Palace of Westminster: 1981-94
House of Commons Information Office Factsheet G12
10
Contact information
House of Commons Information Office
House of Commons
London SW1A 2TT
Phone 020 7219 4272
Fax 020 7219 5839
hcinfo@parliament.uk
www.parliament.uk
House of Lords Information Office
House of Lords
London SW1A 0PW
Phone 020 7219 3107
Fax 020 7219 0620
hlinfo@parliament.uk
Parliamentary Education Unit
House of Commons
London SW1A 2TT
Phone 020 7219 2105
Fax 020 7219 0818
edunit@parliament.uk
www.explore.parliament.uk
House of Lords Record Office
House of Lords
London SW1A 0PW
Phone 020 7219 3074
Fax 020 7219 2570
hlro@parliament.uk
Parliamentary Bookshop
12 Bridge Street
Parliament Square
London SW1A 2JX
Phone 020 7219 3890
Fax 020 7219 3866
bookshop@parliament.uk
Restoration of the Palace of Westminster: 1981-94
House of Commons Information Office Factsheet G12
11
Feedback form
Factsheet G12
Restoration of the Palace of Westminster: 1981-94
It would help greatly to ensure that Factsheets fulfil their purpose if users would fill in and
return this brief pre-addressed questionnaire, or email a response. Negative responses can
be as useful as positive.
For your purposes, did you find this Factsheet
1. Very useful
Fairly useful
Not much use
2. Too long
The right length
Too short
3. Clear
Not always clear
Rather unclear
Any comments?
Please write to:
Head of Section
House of Commons Information Office
London SW1A 2TT
If you prefer, please email to:
hcinfo@parliament.uk
If you require a reply, please print your name and address below
Name
Address