We are proud to share the work of our Heritage Division at the Royal Hospital Chelsea’s Soane Stable Yard.
Our package involved a range of internal and external works throughout the project, which formed part of a significant refurbishment and sensitive conservation of the Grade II*-listed Soane Stable Yard designed by Sir John Soane to become the new Chelsea Pensioners Museum, including a café, gift shop, post office, and activity room. The Royal Hospital Chelsea were awarded a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for this essential repairs scheme.
Working alongside Messenger Construction, we began internally by stripping paint from all walls by applying Tavec 201, followed by super-heated steam cleaning using Tensid’s TORIK system. We then carefully removed lime plaster, redundant service fittings and timbers embedded into brickwork, and carried out hundreds of brick replacements to provide a suitable surface for a new limewash finish. We also completed brickwork remedial repairs and repointing in isolated areas, as well as brick replacements around exposed historic joists that are now a feature of the café’s ceilings.
Our works continued with various structural and non-structural internal alterations, such as forming new door openings, infilling existing openings, new internal brickwork, and carefully demolishing entire lengths of solid brickwork walls with new steel beams to create a more open-plan space in parts of the museum and Post Office, including temporary propping as required. We finalised our works internally by laying new brick thresholds in multiple locations using red clinker bricks by HG Matthews, which were bedded in lime mortar and pointed in lime putty.
Externally, we undertook further alterations and repairs of each façade in the courtyard, focusing initially on re-forming several original barn door openings to accommodate new glazing, whilst also reducing some existing openings with new brickwork using reclaimed stocks. We also carried out repairs and rebedding of existing Portland stone thresholds and quoins, as well as replacing some thresholds with new Portland stone, using Stonehills Whitbed, including forming new concrete footings and brickwork.
Our restorers completed our remaining works on the project by removing defective lath and lime plaster from the soffits at roof level encompassing the courtyard due to corroding fixings, and replacing with new riven timber lathes fixed with stainless steel, and applying new lime plaster with horsehair to match the original specification.
We are honoured to work on many prestigious listed buildings, however being able to work at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and help create a new public space that celebrates the iconic Chelsea Pensioners for future generations to enjoy is particularly special.
Client: Royal Hospital Chelsea
Architect: Peregrine Bryant Architects
Engineer: Alan Baxter Ltd
Main Contractor: Messenger Construction Ltd, Messenger BCR Group Ltd
