Horace Walpole’s 18th century house at Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, London is a seminal work of the gothic revival in England, designed to resemble a fantasy castle with turrets and battlements. An essential part of this design was the exterior finish which was plastered with Roman Cement mouldings and details in conjunction with both smooth and harled lime plaster.
Skillingtons won the specialist sub-contract for the repair and restoration of these finshes, which was carried out in 2009-2010. Mouldings were run in situ and the plaster finishes were developed through a series of trials and samples, with much of the harling being executed unusually onto riven lath, as was the original. The transformation was absolutely stunning and is a fine testament to the skills of our plasterers.
Contract Value: Approximately £180K
Main Contractor: E. Bowman & Sons Ltd, Stamford
Architect: Inskip & Jenkins Ltd, London
