Oxburgh Hall

Raising the roof to secure the future

Introduction

Following the unexpected collapse of a dormer window in August 2016, we were appointed lead designer and architect for the ambitious ‘Raise the Roof’ project at Oxburgh Hall – the largest conservation effort in the building’s history.

The £6m project has seen critical repairs carried out to the 15th-century hall’s roof, chimneys, windows, and medieval gatehouse facade, all while remaining open to the public. The restoration was completed in 2022, securing the future of this iconic National Trust property for generations to come.

Set in Grade II-listed parkland and surrounded by a scenic moat in the Norfolk countryside, Oxburgh Hall has stood since the 1400s. It has survived centuries of alterations, changes in ownership, and even the threat of demolition before being entrusted to the National Trust in the 1950s.

Originally tasked with repairing a single collapsed dormer, emergency scaffolding quickly revealed far wider structural issues. Defects were found across the entire roof structure and all 14 dormers from the same construction phase, prompting a full structural survey and the creation of a comprehensive Conservation Management Plan.

In numbers

14,000

roof tiles that needed replacing

27

chimneys on the roof of the estate

14

dormer windows which needed repairing

Conservation approach

This informed our approach: instead of like-for-like replacements, each dormer was rebuilt on a stainless-steel support base to relieve pressure on the ageing masonry walls. Chimneys, previously rebuilt using damaging cement mortar, were reconstructed using handmade replica bricks and lime mortar, ensuring longevity and historical accuracy.

Where bricks were beyond repair, replacements were sourced from Bulmer Brickworks – a supplier long associated with Oxburgh. Leaded glass windows were carefully removed, templated, and reinstated with conserved original panes, and tiles were hand-crafted to match the historic fabric.

A Conservation Strategy Document guided every detail of the work, from façade repair techniques and mortar colour matching, to sourcing masonry and restoring architectural features in timber, glass, and plaster.

The completion of Raise the Roof has breathed new life into Oxburgh Hall – a historic gem now safeguarded for centuries to come.