CRAFT AFTERNOONS FOR CHILDREN BACK IN MAY 2019

HAMPTON COTTAGE UNDERGOES REFURBISHMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY 40 YEARS

Work has begun on the external refurbishment of the Museum following installation of scaffolding around the building.This is the first major building work on the Museum since Hampton Cottage was bought by the Leatherhead & District Local History Society in December 1976. Following major restoration work by professional builders and volunteers it opened as Leatherhead Museum in October 1980.

Hampton Cottage is a small timber framed 17^th century detached house built between 1649 and 1682.When the Society purchased the building most of the external timber framework at ground floor level had deteriorated but above that point the original timbers had survived surprisingly well. The solution was to suspend the whole building on jacks while footings were dug out and all the outer walls underpinned. The current refurbishment is of the main upper timber framed parts of the building.

In placing the contract care has been taken to find a contractor with experience of working on historic buildings. As the Museum is a listed building, Mole Valley Council has been involved at all stages of the project and its conditions are being met. For example all new timbers will be of reclaimed oak and lime mortar will be used in place of mastic. For the Society the project is being managed by the Joint Museum Manager Peter Humphreys, a qualified civil engineer.

The builder estimates that the project should be completed in six weeks. Work has started on the area in worst condition. This is the corner of the south and west walls, the front and left hand side of the upstairs office. This area deteriorated further following last summer's heat wave and the timber framing in this area will be replaced with temporary works necessary to minimise any lateral movement. 

Following a survey of the Museum, electrics some work will be undertaken, but this will not be done while the external works are ongoing.