More than 300 years of rain and inadequate drainage have rendered the roof of Blenheim Palace, the attic timbers and the ceilings below in need of substantial repair.
DBR Ltd, a specialist in historic building conservation, has been appointed to carry our works to safeguard the future of the palace, the seat of the Duke of Marlborough and a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Works starting in January will focus on the complete restoration of a substantial section of the palace roof, enhancing the resilience of the structure against the elements and ensuring its longevity.
Currently the roof is leaking into the Great Hall, in the Heights (formerly the servants’ quarters) and in the Saloon. Over time, water has saturated the timbers below (which are also infested with death watch beetle) and is causing damage to a celebrated ceiling fresco by Sir James Thornhill. The fresco depicts the Duke of Marlborough kneeling to Britannia, proffering a plan of the Battle of Blenheim.
There is also damp, smoke damage, dirt, mould, decay, collapsed ceilings and loss of historic fabric that has caused damage to the Laguerre painting of the Battle of Blenheim that requires urgent conservation.
Outside on the roof, there is considerable stone delamination and stone fall, as well as rusting iron cramps swelling to 12 times their size and breaking stone away, causing a safety hazard and further water penetration. The roof is almost an acre in size but served by only six downpipes – 300% under capacity. This needs fixing too.
The objectives of the project are to return the roof to a watertight condition, improve environmental stability of nationally important paintings, reduce safety risks and prolong the lifespan of stone by slowing the rate of decay. The restoration work also aims to complete fire compartmentation works, increase the capacity of gutters and improve energy efficiency where possible and practical.
Kelly Whitton, head of built heritage at Blenheim Palace, said: “This monumental roof project represents one of the most ambitious conservation efforts in Blenheim Palace’s history. This £10.4m restoration is a complex undertaking that will require a combination of traditional craftsmanship and innovative building techniques to safeguard the structural integrity of our Unesco World Heritage Site.”
