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Standing on Queensgate in the heart of Huddersfield town centre, Ramsden Building is one of the University of Huddersfield’s most cherished and architecturally significant buildings. Opened in 1883 as the town’s first purpose-built Technical School and Mechanics’ Institute, it was designed by architect Edward Hughes and remains a flagship example of the Gothic Revival style. Its striking façade is distinguished by four sculpted lions holding shields, honouring two of the town’s most prominent industrialists, Sir Thomas Brooke and Sir John William Ramsden.
Sympathetic restoration of a gothic revival landmark
As part of the wider £10 million restoration of Ramsden Building, TRC Contracts delivered a £230,000 package of heritage joinery works for main contractor Henry Boot. Beginning with the restoration of approximately 215 sash windows, the scope expanded to include the building’s ornate bannisters, numerous internal doors and general joinery, with every element restored using traditional methods and materials to protect the character of this Grade II listed building.
Restoring original windows and joinery
TRC were appointed by Henry Boot to carry out the restoration of approximately 215 sash windows at Ramsden Building. Each window was fully overhauled and draught proofed, with frames and sashes carefully repaired and original ironmongery refurbished. Rather than replacing historic fabric, our approach focused on retaining as much original material as possible, sympathetically returning the windows to their original condition and performance while improving comfort and energy efficiency for the building’s occupants.
As the project progressed, our scope grew beyond the windows to take in a wider programme of internal joinery. This included the restoration of the building’s ornate and highly particular bannisters, where intricate detailing had to be carefully matched by hand, as it simply could not be replaced off the shelf. Alongside this, our team repaired and refurbished numerous internal doors throughout the building and carried out general joinery works in support of the wider restoration programme. As with the windows, all work was completed using traditional methods and materials appropriate to a Grade II listed building, ensuring consistency with Edward Hughes’ original detailing throughout.
