FASC RMA Sandhurst

The Staff College at Sandhurst was built following pressure in the mid C19 to reform the British Army and to invest in officer training, as Britain had fallen well behind the levels of investment made by other great European powers. To improve this situation, Sir James Pennethorne was commissioned to design a Staff College in 1857, and construction was completed in 1862.

The final project included the repair of all the lead and slate roof coverings, with provision of insulation to improve the thermal performance of the building, repair of the Bath stone and brickwork chimney stacks, repairs to the Observatory building on the roof, repairs to the parapet walls including new Bath stone “bottle balusters”, repairs to the cast iron rainwater hoppers, gutters and downpipes throughout.

Repair, weather-stripping and decorating of each of the 478 sash windows in the building, repointing the stone and brick elevations with lime mortar, and carrying out a variety of conservation repairs to the decaying Bath stonework and damaged stock brickwork.

A large boiler flue was taken down to return the rear elevation to its original appearance, and a timber shed erected on the roof to house water storage tanks was also removed. Refurbishment of the 27 bedrooms in the top floor involved extensive specialist lime plaster wall, ceiling and cornice repairs, the provision of 11 new ensuite shower rooms and 2 new utility rooms, and the renewal of all services, followed by complete redecoration.