June 2022

Several projects that H+R have worked on were extensively covered in the specialist press during the course of the month. Country Life featured Wildernesse House in Kent with it s magnificent main stair hall incorporating an imaginative library set up by the Booksellers Association. As a side note, H+R used to publish the Year Book of the Booksellers Association back in the 1980s! In addition, the King’s Observatory in Richmond’s Old Deer Park was featured now that its renovation is complete. It is one of the most remarkable buildings we have worked on. The fitted and glazed cabinets in the octagon now house books rather than George III’s scientific instrument collection. Furthermore, the Old War Office building in Whitehall was featured now that it has been launched to market. It was a building regularly occupied by Churchill when Secretary of State for War. TE Lawrence and Ian Fleming had offices in the Old War Office. Latterly H+R have been involved at the adjacent Treasury building in 100 Whitehall where from the balcony Churchill oversaw the cheering crowds at the end of the war. Carrying on the military theme, HMS Unicorn was featured in the SPAB magazine. It is the most authentic of all the large ships from the Age of Sail and is moored in Dundee. H+R have undertaken extensive timber condition investigations in recent years. The ship is the only survivor of the very first system of shipbuilding to integrate iron and wood structurally within a ship’s hull https://www.frigateunicorn.org/

 

Notable projects in the month involve further inputs at the Houses of Parliament, Dolphin Square in SW1, the National Trust’s largest holiday let at Thorington Hall, Rossetti Studios in Chelsea, Bishopscourt House in the Isle of Man, the Honourable Artillery Company in the City, Liverpool and Salford Cathedrals and the Chapel at Haileybury School. Scottish projects included the Scottish National Gallery, Howgate in Kilwinning and Bank Street in Irvine. In Wales, work was concluded at Bodnant Gardens

 

The most remarkable building investigated for timber condition in the month was a new build forest dwelling in the Surrey Hills