30/06/2025
The three-year project, launched by the Church Commissioners in summer 2022, is the first refurbishment of the Grade I listed heritage building in more than 70 years.
The London office of Archbishops of Canterbury for nearly eight hundred years, Lambeth Palace is the centre of their ministry, worship and hospitality. Renovations were urgently required to preserve and protect the historic site and working palace for future generations.
Despite the scale and complexity of the programme, Lambeth Palace remained fully operational throughout construction. The site continued to host staff, visitors, services, and international guests, including high-profile events and daily activities central to the work of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Expert conservation and craftsmanship
As a palace dating back to the 12th century, the project has required the painstaking work of conservationists to help oversee the long overdue upgrades to its infrastructure. The £40m refurbishment, funded entirely by the Church Commissioners, has been overseen by Wright & Wright Architects, led by Stephen Smith and Conservation Architect Leanna Boxill, experts in revitalising historic structures for contemporary use through a carefully considered programme of repair and remodelling.
In consultation with Historic England, specialist craft trades, including stonemasons, timber experts, and conservationists, played a vital role. Highlights include:
- Replacement of 1,450m² of floorboards;
- Restoration and cleaning of 800m² of historic stonework;
- Over 13,500m² of plastering and painting—an area equivalent to two football pitches;
- Installation of 2km of heating pipes, 1.6km of water pipes and 50km of cabling;
- Installation of 26 new toilets.
Among the key interventions is in the Great Hall, where the timber roof structure, damaged during the Second World War, has been painstakingly restored by a team of expert craftspeople, balancing historical accuracy with modern resilience.
Unforeseen archaeological discoveries added layers of complexity to the programme, after excavations for the new service trench unearthed significant artefacts and remnants dating back to the 12th century, including remains of the walls of the medieval palace. Close collaboration with Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) and Historic England ensured these discoveries were recorded, protected, and incorporated into revised design strategies.
Access for all
As with many heritage buildings, Lambeth Palace had posed serious accessibility issues prior to its upgrade. Following the refurbishment, there is now a ramped entrance to the Grade I Listed building, which, along with new lifts, DDA-compliant toilets and a Changing Places Bathroom ensure safe access for everyone who visits, lives and works at the palace.
A net zero future
This project has embraced the General Synod’s and Church Commissioners’ commitment for the Church of England to become carbon net-zero by 2030 and is regarded as having made industry-leading strides in its approach to sustainable design.
The creation of a new Energy Centre has enabled a move away from reliance on fossil fuels, with the Palace ultimately being served entirely by on-site renewables. Upgrading the historic building fabric to reduce the energy required to heat and cool internal spaces has been a priority.
Key sustainability interventions included:
- Installation of three air source heat pumps;
- Installation of solar panels on the building’s roof;
- Replacement of 160 windows with energy-efficient double glazing, which has previously been unachievable within a Grade I Listed building;
- Upgrading 140 radiators, with all components salvaged and reused where possible;
- Harvesting rainwater to flush toilets;
- Recycling of 39 tonnes of timber, saving 20 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Michael Minta, Director of Bishoprics and Cathedrals & Lambeth Palace Library, said: “Lambeth Palace has been at the heart of our national story for many centuries, and the completion of these urgently needed works is a source of joy to us as custodians of this beautiful building. The refurbishment, the first in almost a century, ensures it can remain a global base for mission and hospitality for the Church for generations to come.”
The Revd Tosin Oladipo, Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury, said: “Before anything, Lambeth Palace is a place of prayer and worship, hospitality and service. It seeks to play its part in the life of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion by making Jesus Christ known in our world today. As we prepare for the ministry of the next Archbishop of Canterbury, we are delighted that this refurbishment means Lambeth can continue to fulfil this role in the life of the Church for many years to come.”
Louise Donovan, Director of Events and Engagement at Lambeth Palace, said: “Lambeth Palace is over 800 years old, but it’s not a museum – it is a living place. Hospitality sits at the heart of life here, enabling us to demonstrate Jesus’ call to welcome the stranger. The transformation of our now state-of-the-art kitchens and increased accessibility of our event spaces means that we are now able to welcome even more people through the doors of this historic place every year. We want more people from all walks to life and from all over the world to enjoy Lambeth Palace, continuing our long and rich history of gathering, reflection and dialogue. We are thrilled that this much-needed refurbishment has made that possible.”
Stephen Smith, Partner at Wright & Wright Architects, said: “Transitioning Lambeth Palace towards becoming a zero-carbon site represented a considerable challenge. The spirit of this complex retrofit can be captured by the adage ‘If we want things to stay the same, things will have to change’. From removing the Palace’s reliance on fossil fuels, to enabling thousands more guests to visit with newly installed accessible infrastructure, we are immensely proud that the overhaul, which involved entire areas being taken apart and reassembled, appears as if we’d never been there at all.”