Interior with large bay window, ornate wood paneling, carved details, and decorated ceiling, sunlight casting shadows, architecture by Nick Cox Architects

Long, ornate wood-paneled hall with large leaded glass windows, intricate ceiling design, and antique furniture, architecture by Nick Cox Architects.

Elegant interior with large stained glass window flooding the space with natural light, intricate wood paneling, architecture by Nick Cox Architects.

PRINT ONLY 034 A9195 0524 Haddon Hall Derbyshire Nick Cox Architects photographed by professional photographer Andrew Ogilvy Photography

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Haddon Hall Long Gallery

Sensitive repairs meet fundraising challenges

The most perfect house to survive from the Middle Ages.

Historic houses Places of worship

Set within the rolling hills of the Peak District and beside the River Wye, Haddon Hall was built as the seat of the Dukes of Rutland by the Vernon family. Nick Cox Architects have been advising on repair and conservation works at Haddon for over 25 years.

A historic interior with large stained glass windows, intricate wood paneling, and ornate architectural details, architecture by Nick Cox Architects.

Voices from the past

Structural decay of the bay window threatened the survival of the fine plaster ceiling of the Long Gallery. Also at risk was the decorative oak panelling and leaded lights, which contained fascinating etched graffiti from previous centuries.

Ornate ceiling with intricate plasterwork design and wooden window frames, architecture by Nick Cox Architects.

Thoughtful conservation

Areas connected to the bay window needed careful temporary protection and support, from roof structural repairs to underpinning of foundations. Cracks were stitched and the first-floor bay was taken apart stone by stone before being rebuilt using existing stone and newly carved elements.

A large multi-pane window with leaded glass, stone window frame, and lush greenery outside, with architecture by Nick Cox Architects.

Meeting funding requirements

The opportunity afforded by funding from the Historic Houses Foundation and the Cultural Recovery Fund was too good to be missed. However, this meant that the complex project needed to be delivered within a condensed timeframe to meet funding deadlines.

Completion was achieved according to programme without reducing the scope or quality of the conservation work. We accomplished this through facilitating smooth collaboration between the client and project team, and through careful forward analysis of risks (including lead in times for traditional materials).

A classical interior wall with leaded glass windows and detailed wooden paneling, architecture by Nick Cox Architects.

Looking to the future

Record drawings of the roof and stonework were commissioned as part of the project alongside a conservation report. These records will form part of the Haddon archive, which includes photographs taken by the ninth Duke in the early nineteenth century. Learning from the project will inform future work to conserve and protect this exceptional building.