Hatfield House
Hatfield House
Client: Hatfield House Estate
Services:
Brickwork
Stonework
Skills Coaching
Lime Mortar
The Flint Folly, sited in the grounds of Hatfield House, presented a lot of decay with crumbling and loose masonry, missing stone cornice and flintwork. Having worked with the Hatfield House estate for over a decade, Mathias were appointed contractors to restore the external condition of the folly.
The project included a large training component, hosting SPAB scholars and a further Prince Foundation Placement. Specific interest was taken in the use of Roman cement, using slaked lime and small particles of stone, considered to offer a solution that strengthens through ageing.
The project included a large training component hosting SPAB scholars and a Prince Foundation placement
Project Gallery
About Hatfield House
Hatfield House offers one of the most magnificent examples of Jacobean architecture in England. The origins of the house and estate date back to the early 17th century when Robert Cecil, the first Earl of Salisbury and Chief Minister to James I, commissioned its construction on the grounds where Queen Elizabeth I grew up.
Meticulously designed by renowned architect Robert Lyminge with intricate detailing and symmetrical proportions, Hatfield House stands as a testament to power and opulence that once graced English nobility. Its richly adorned interiors boast vast tapestries, priceless artworks from masters like Titian and Holbein, and an extensive collection of antique furniture. However, historical significance lends Hatfield House a place in English history; it was here that Elizabeth Tudor received news about her accession to the throne in 1558—an event that would shape both her reign and British history forever. Steeped in heritage yet still serving as a private residence for descendants within Cecil’s bloodline who have carefully preserved its magnificence throughout centuries—Hatfield House stands not only as an architectural marvel but also embodies England’s illustrious past.
Today it provides a world class tourist attraction, privately managed by the Cecil family, as Hatfield Park. Visitors are able to access both the house, gardens and many areas of the estate, including the indoor ‘Real Tennis’ court, dating back to 1842.