Shaw House
Highly selective repairs to provide contemporary facilities within a Grade I listed Elizabethan mansion
- Location
- London & South East
- Client
- West Berkshire District Council
- Shortlist
- Civic Trust Award 2010
Purcell was appointed to advise on repairs to bring the building back into beneficial use with the aim of making the it fully accessible, and securing £5m of Heritage Lottery funding.
Shaw House is a Grade I listed Elizabethan mansion built as a private house and served as Charles I’s military headquarters during the Second Battle of Newbury. It had fallen into dereliction and was included on the Buildings at Risk register.
The interventions were highly selective, reversible and ‘of their time’, enabling the building to provide a range of uses including conferencing facilities, offices and a wedding venue. Improved accessibility was achieved through the installation of two new passenger lifts with associated extensions at roof level.
Careful restoration took place in the Great Hall to reinstate original panelling which had been removed from the walls.
Shaw House now accommodates a variety of office and conference facility functions to safeguard the building’s future. It has since been removed from the Buildings at Risk register
Location: Newbury, Berkshire
Client: West Berkshire District Council
Listing status: Grade I listed
Awards: Civic Trust Awards
Construction value: £5m
Funding: Heritage Lottery Fund
