Alton Towers to Restore Banqueting Hall Window

In the plans, submitted earlier this month, the Resort outline their intention to fully restore the window in the Banqueting Hall which forms a part of the Grade II listed country house located at the heart of the theme park. The window is considered to have high historical and architectural significance and depicts the coats of arms of many families which have historically been linked with the Alton Towers estate, including the Talbots, Verduns, and Furnivals.

It is anticipated that the restoration will take almost three years to complete with preparatory work on the glass already underway. If the restoration proceeds according to plan, it is anticipated the work will be complete by 31^st December 2021. The detailed restoration will see the glass fully cleaned and any older repairs corrected. Any missing original glass will be drawn and repainted, before the panels are re-leaded, and cemented. As part of the re-fitting of the windows to their frames, special isothermal glazing will also be installed which is designed to control the airflow and temperature around the original glass to prevent any deterioration.

Work to restore the window was originally planned to be carried out back in 2010, with planning consent being granted in October of that year, and work having commenced with the removal of the original glass window panels. However, the company contracted to carry out the repair ceased trading before the work was completed and the windows have remained in storage since.

The Banqueting Hall was designed by A. W. Pugin, with the north window of the Banqueting Hall being a stained-glass oriel window designed by Pugin and John Hardman Powell in around 1850. The window was originally installed as part of a project to reinstate the Great Hall as the main hall within the house. This latest restoration project follows on from programmes to restore other parts of the Resort’s heritage, including Prospect Tower, and the Chinese Pagoda.