Guildhall restoration by the Victorians in 1865 – In Your Area

Written by Reginald Frontispiece Ltd

On this day, November 25 in 1865, 'The Illustrated London News' carried the above woodblock engraving of the newly restored interior of Guildhall.

Located off Gresham and Basinghall streets, in the City wards of Bassishaw and Cheap, it is home to the City of London Corporation.

Built on the site of a Roman amphitheatre, Guildhall has been the 'town hall' of 'the City' for some 800 years.

Dating from 1440, the current building suffered damage during the Great Fire of London in 1666 and was partially restored in 1670 and in 1788 the present south entrance was added by architect George Dance.

Another major restoration was undertaken by City of London architect Sir Horace Jones in the 1860s, which included the 'Great Hall,' the subject of today's antique print.

Jones added a new timber roof in keeping with the original hammerbeam ceiling, which survived until 1940.

A Luftwaffe incendiary raid on London on the night of 29/30 December destroyed the hammerbeam ceiling, leaving only the walls of Guildhall intact. On the same night, eight churches designed by Sir Christopher Wren were destroyed.

The Guildhall roof was replaced in 1954 during works designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, but the original hammerbeam design was not retained.

View our woodblock engraving from the Frontispiece Ltd collection here

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Guildhall restoration by the Victorians in 1865 - In Your Area