Windsor Castle, Berkshire.
Windsor Castle is a Royal residence and forms part of the Royal Collection, it is an official residence of the Queen and is where she spends a great deal of time. The original castle was built in the 11th century after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I, it has been used by succeeding monarchs and it is the longest-occupied palace in Europe.
On the 20 November 1992 a fierce fire ripped through Windsor Castle, as stated on the Royal Collection website, “fire destroyed or damaged more than 100 rooms at the Castle. Four thousand gallons of water a minute were used against the blaze at the fire’s height, the equivalent of the entire weight of Niagara Falls descending on the Castle for two seconds. The restoration of the Castle, particularly St George’s Hall and the Grand Reception Room, is a testament to the extraordinary skills of some of the finest craftsmen in Europe.” It was a restoration of national importance and on a grand scale that Humphries Weaving are proud to have been involved with.
The King’s Drawing Room
The King’s Drawing Room forms part of the King’s State Apartments.
The fabric for the restoration of the King’s Drawing Room was the first project undertaken by Humphries Weaving upon their return to their founding premises, Ashburton Lodge, in the historic weaving town of Sudbury, Suffolk.
Humphries weaving supplied a green silk and cotton damask for the restoration of the King’s Drawing Room walling.
Project reference: 2000
The Crimson Drawing Room
The Crimson Drawing Room forms part of the State Rooms at Windsor Castle.
The decorative scheme of The Crimson Drawing Room that preceded the Castle fire of 1992 was designed by Queen Victoria. Her taste was far more restrained than that of the George IV interiors she inherited. She favored an Italian design called the Torcello and used it in many of her residences in abundance.
Project reference: 322
Pure silk in crimson woven wide width for the restoration of furniture, window drapes and walling panels in the Crimson State Drawing Room following the Castle of fire of 1992.
Wide woven fabric was often used as a way of displaying wealth and opulence as it was more expensive than the standard narrow woven as it required the weaver to hold a much wider stance.
Project reference: 1441
The Green Drawing Room
The Green Drawing Room is a long room with an impressive bay window that forms part of the State Rooms.
A deep green pure silk damask woven wide width for the Green Drawing Room restoration in the ‘George and Mary Damask’. The fabric can be seen in wall panels and on the furniture suite, it was also used in the restoration of the window drapes.
Project reference: 1416
Grand Reception Room
The Grand Reception Room.
Crimson and gold damask in pure silk for the furnishings and window drapes in the Grand Reception Room. Fragments of the original fabric from the Royal Collection were copied and redrawn in the company studio. Design restoration was overseen by Pamela Lewis, Richard Humphries and Derek Chatten who redrafted the point-paper. The window drapes replaced the fire destroyed Farleigh Tissue, one of the largest and most complicated hand woven fabrics ever produced by Warner & Sons at New Mills Braintree Essex.
Project reference: 1429
Gilt Furniture Restoration
Guilt furniture restoration and fabric for walling.
The Torcello design is prevalent around the castle and can be seen in many rooms, it was a favored design of Queen Victoria. Humphries Weaving were commission to weave a silk and cotton version in crimson, which was used for the restoration of various pieces of guilt furniture and for the restoration of the State Crimson Drawing Room prior to the great fire which completely destroyed the room.
Project references: 338 & 2247
The State Dining Room
The State Dining Room window drapes.
The spectacular private apartments created for George IV include the State Dining room, these Semi-State Rooms are among the most richly decorated interiors in the Castle and are used by The Queen for official entertaining.
The Dining Room features a large bay window Pure silk narrow woven damask in crimson and straw for the window drapes in the State Dining Room. This work was undertaken as part of the restoration following the fire.
Project reference: 1480
The White Drawing Room
The White Drawing Room.
Cream and gold pure silk narrow woven damask for the restoration of the White Drawing Room, this included the furniture and the window drapes. This design in a three colour tissue version is also featured in the Green State Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace.
Project reference: 1596
State Bed Hangings.
State Bed Hangings.
Humphries Weaving were asked to produce a pure silk lustring, in lilac, for the State Bed hangings.
Lustrings were an important layer on State Beds, as when drawn the bed drapes trapped the heat, in often cold and drafty rooms.
Project reference: 008
Yellow Drawing Room.
Yellow Drawing Room furniture restoration.
A very early project for Humphries Weaving supplying a green silk and cotton damask for furniture restoration in the Yellow Drawing Room.
Project reference: 292
