From January 2008 until April 2011, external repair and conservation work to three elevations of the Tower were carried out to address the following issues:

• The historic fabric of both the rubble walling and stone dressings were deteriorating and vulnerable to decay.
• Other key agents of decay included the build-up of sulphation and atmospheric pollutants on the sheltered returns of the buttresses and deeply contoured stones. These created an impermeable crust and were causing further damage to the masonry as well as being aesthetically displeasing.

Meet the team

It takes an array of expertise to complete a project this size and the project team included a project architect who advised on the conservation methods of cleaning and repair, a quantity surveyor who kept track of the project spend, a structural engineer who designed the scaffolding and provided advice on any structural defects, an archaeologist who’s research and observations throughout the project increased our knowledge and understanding of the White Tower and a geologist who identified every stone on the White Tower which not only helped create a greater understanding of the building structure but also helped the project team select appropriate stones for replacement where needed. The team also included a chartered surveyor to project manage the project and our buildings curator to provide historic advice, both of whom came from the Conservation Department within Historic Royal Palaces.

Completing the work has meant not only that the building fabric has been conserved for generations to come, but that peoples’ expectations have been restored and that one of London’s greatest landmarks can live up to its name once more.

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