31st August 2021
The collapse
Partial ceiling collapse in Vita's Writing Room
Conservation Work on Vita's Writing Room
On 31st August 2021, the Tower Volunteer Steward heard a crash from the first floor of the Tower. What followed was an extensive process of meticulous conservation work to revive the room. Learn more about the process here.
Conservation Timeline
Seeing the results
As of February 2023, we are proud to announce that the complex building conservation project in the Writing Room is now complete.
The project aimed to preserve this incredile female space for generations to come.
The painstaking process saw the conservation of the ceiling and walls using slow-drying natural materials and techniques dating back to the Tower's Elizabethan origin. Meticulous analysis of the walls revealed Vita's original decorative scheme and her 1940s choice of a rosy pink distemper had been reinstated. Alongisde this building works were improvements to the lighting, heating and environmental controls in the room.
The process will be featured in a new TV series called Hidden Treasures of the National Trust on BBC Two. You will be able to catch up on any episodes missed on BBC iPlayer.
Historical importance
Since the Writing Room has been closed for more than a year, our team wanted to give people the opportunity to see the room since the ceiling repair and the return of one of the original historic colours chosen by Vita. On select dates through January and February, we offered visitors the exclusive opportunity to step inside the room to learn more about the process.
Given that visitors would usually only be able to see the room from the threshold, this exclusive access was a fantastic opportunity to see conservation in action as the conservators and curators return the objects back to their original locations. This pain-staking process also allowed us a rare opportunity to reflect upon each object and why Vita chose those items for her personal space of sanctity.
Please keep checking our Upcoming Events and social media channels for news of extra dates being added, as well as this page for more current photography of the room.
Shelf liners
The books are slid into place on shelf liners designed to ease the pressure on the bindings and prolong their life
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The process to restore the Writing Room to its former glory has truly been a labour of love and would not have been possible without our fantastic property team, specialist conservators and surveyors. We are very proud of the conservation work that has been poured into its upkeep and we look forward to welcoming visitors back.
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