Restoration of Keble College dining hall floor

This is the longest college hall in Oxford, built in 1877, to the design of William Butterfield and a Grade 1 Listed building.

The elaborately patterned tiled floor in areas of circulation had suffered from structural movement, wear and insensitive repair, particularly in the area fronting the servery.  The only time of the year when substantial work could be carried out was a limited period over Christmas and the New Year, although the project took over a year in investigations, manufacturing, the booking of skills and obtaining consents.  In a period of 17 working days a 50m2 area was lightened, stiffened, reconstructed and re-laid with replica tiles to a rediscovered pattern.  We were actually able to ‘improve’ on Butterfield’s design by completing a composition where he had oddly stopped short.

The work involved precise tile manufacture by Craven Dunnill Jackfield, carpentry and supervisory work by Beard (Oxford), tile laying by Mosaic Restoration Ltd and Blue Lias stone banding from the Ashen Cross Quarry, Somerset.

The client body said it was very pleased ‘and it’s only disappointing in that  we can scarcely tell it’s new’.