Wright & Wright completes three-year programme of repair and restoration at Lambeth Palace

Above: Lambeth Palace - courtesy of Wright & Wright / The Church Commissioners for England

Home to the Archbishops of Canterbury for 800 years, the Grade I listed buildings of Lambeth Palace have played an unparalleled role in the UK’s history of religious life and scholarship. Wright & Wright’s extensive three year long programme of refurbishment - the first of its kind in over 70 years – has enhanced the safety, accessibility, and sustainability of the site, while carefully preserving the Palace’s heritage.

Led by Partner Stephen Smith and Conservation Architect Leanna Boxill, Wright & Wright's masterplan for Lambeth Palace embraces the Church of England's commitment to reach net-zero by 2030. Following the relocation of the Palace’s world-renowned collection of religious texts to Lambeth Palace Library completed by Wright & Wright Architects in 2021, new opportunities emerged to reimagine the estate for future generations, with a focus on improving the site's accessibility and sustainability.

Wright & Wright explains:

'As the first line of defence in improving building performance and reducing energy demand, the masterplan adopts a ‘fabric-first’ approach. Working closely with Arup, the masterplan prioritises upgrading the historic building fabric, reducing the energy required to heat and cool internal spaces and achieving lower running costs in the long term. One major focus of this approach was the replacement of the Blore Building’s windows, delivering a 41% reduction in heating energy use.

'In consultation with Historic England, the project involved timber specialists, stonemasons and conservationists, who carefully replaced 1450 sqm of floorboards, repaired and cleaned 800 sqm of stonework and completed 13,500 sqm of plastering and painting - the equivalent of two football pitches.

'The twisted timbers of the Great Hall underwent a detailed programme of inspection and stabilisation. A highly skilled team of conservation specialists undertook the meticulous restoration of the Palace’s intricate historic fabric, from decorative plasterwork, stone detailing, and joinery.'

“Lambeth Palace has been at the heart of our national story for many centuries, and the completion of these urgently needed works is a source of joy to us as custodians of this beautiful building. The refurbishment, the first in almost a century, ensures it can remain a global base for the mission and hospitality for the Church for generations to come.”

states Michael Minta, Director of Bishoprics and Cathedrals, Church Commissioners.

Wright & Wright continues:

'A new Energy Centre will enable a move away from reliance on fossil fuels, with the Palace ultimately being served entirely by on-site renewables. Three air source heat pumps now power the Palace, supported by upgrades to the historic building fabric including 235 double-glazed windows, roof and floor insulation, rainwater harvesting and photovoltaic panels – reducing overall energy consumption by 63%.

'As with many heritage buildings, Lambeth Palace posed serious accessibility issues prior to its refurbishment. A new ramped entrance, along with four new lifts, Accessible WCs and a Public Changing Places Bathroom, now ensure seamless access for everyone who visits, works and lives at the Palace.

'Site surveys and excavations revealed extensive archaeology on site dating to the 12th century. Buried structures were mapped using archival records, and excavations were carried out prior to the installation of new servicing infrastructure. The expertise of Leanna Boxill, project lead and Conservation Architect, proved critical in identifying, documenting, and preserving the discoveries on site.

'Once the Palace library and now reimagined as an events space, careful attention was paid to conserving and reusing the existing fabric in the Great Hall. Bookcases that had housed the Palace’s extensive archival material, were meticulously dismantled and re-fashioned into timber panelling. A previously unused trench has been repurposed to accommodate new heaters, which are connected to the palace’s air source heat pumps.'

Below: new solar panels on the roof of Lambeth Palace (courtesy Wright & Wright)