King Arthur’s Great Halls made watertight after first major repairs in 90 years

The first major repairs in 90 years to the Grade II* listed King Arthur’s Great Halls have been completed.

Traditional specialist builders completed the re-roofing of the front of the Great Halls using slate sourced from nearby Trevillett Quarry.

The project in Tintagel, north Cornwall, began in January and the repairs have stopped water getting into the building.

King Arthur’s Great Halls is one of Cornwall’s most distinctive buildings.

King Arthur’s Great Halls were designed as the headquarters for the Fellowship of the Knights of the Round Table and built between 1927 and 1933 by Frederick Thomas Glasscock (James O Davies/Historic England/PA)

It comprises Trevena House, a large Victorian residence, with a purpose-built Great Hall at the rear.

The Great Hall was added between 1927 and 1933 for London businessman and founder of the Fellowship of the Knights of the Round Table, Frederick Thomas Glasscock.

The halls became the headquarters for the fellowship, a society dedicated to Arthurian values of honour and chivalry.

They feature 73 stained-glass windows by artist Veronica Whall, the largest collection of her work anywhere in the world and widely considered to be one of the finest examples of arts and crafts stained-glass windows.

The building were first listed at Grade II in 1987 and was upgraded to Grade II* in 2021 in recognition of outstanding architecture and decoration.

One of Veronica Whall’s stained glass windows depicting Merlin and the Lady of the Lake with the infant Mordred (James O Davies/Historic England/PA)

Ross Simmonds, from Historic England, said the work had been supported by a £168,000 grant from the organisation.

“Our funding for these repairs is an important investment in Cornwall’s cultural heritage,” he said.

“King Arthur’s Great Halls is a remarkable example of Cornwall’s distinctive architecture and craftsmanship, and it’s well-placed to play a vital role in the region’s visitor economy.

“We’re pleased that the main building is now watertight, weatherproof and open for 2025.”

John Moore, custodian at King Arthur’s Great Halls, said: “On behalf of King Arthur’s Halls Ltd committee, I would like to thank Historic England for their grant and support, along with everyone else who has been involved in this project, in enabling this wonderful building to be preserved for the future.”

King Arthur’s Great Halls went onto Historic England’s Heritage at risk register in 2022 due to its deteriorating condition and further major work is needed to remove it from the list.