Repairs underway to restore Exeter’s historic Guildhall to its former glory
Published: 7 February 2023
Due to water ingress through the old slate roof, part of the original lime plaster from the vaulted ceiling in the Jury Room, which dates back to the 1830s, fell through the 1950s suspended ceiling.
All furniture and artwork was removed from the room and the protection of the 1834 panelling, which originally came from St Katherine’s Priory, was covered just in case anymore fell down.
The Guildhall is a Grade 1 Listed Building, and permission was granted by Historic England in May 2022, to carryout re-roofing and to open up the vaulted ceiling in the room.
The suspended ceiling has been removed, and the original pine beams exposed. Over 1000 screws and washers have been used to secure the original plaster back to the laths on the vaulted ceiling.
A temporary roof scaffold has been erected over the building and a bird cage scaffold has been erected in the room itself, giving the team easy access to the vaulted roof. The original roof slates have been removed and the roof rafters completely exposed.
All the exposed timber (inside and out) will be surveyed and treated, before the insulation layer is installed. Work to re-slate the roof will begin sometime in early March. The works are being carried out by Corbel Conservation a company based in Taunton.
The Jury Room (which was called the City’s Records Room) was built in 1838 and was originally used to the store the City’s records. This room remained the City’s Records Room until 1900 when the room became too small and the muniments had to be moved to the City Library.
They have since been moved again and are now currently stored at the Devon Heritage Centre, in Sowton. During this time the Guildhall was used as the City Courts, the room then became the “Jury Room” , where the Jury of the Court would sit and deliberate the outcome of the City’s court cases. The last assizes court was held in 1972 and the court was then moved to the Rougemont Castle.