A unique, historic venue dating back to the 17th Century, located in the heart of the City of London.
After 4 years of thoughtful restoration and collaboration, this elegant new venue set within the Grade 1 Listed Scheduled Ancient Monument Skinners’ Hall, boasts 17 newly designed public rooms to suit a variety of special events including intimate celebrations, formal dinners, catered business meetings, conferences and spectacular weddings. In addition, the Hall boasts a floor of staff offices, members’ dressing rooms and three residential apartments. Read more
Skinners’ Hall is owned by the 700-year-old, charitable membership organisation The Skinners’ Company, and was originally built in the mid 1660s after the previous Hall burned down in the Great Fire of London. It was later added to in the 1700s, and again after World War II after sustaining significant bomb damage. The latest renovation, the first in 30 years, is designed to enhance the Hall’s functionality for public and commercial use while ensuring it remains a welcoming space for members.
Architects 6a were appointed to reinvigorate Skinners’ Hall, a labyrinthine complex of historic rooms, through a series of interventions designed to improve access, make sense of the floor layout, to maximise the potential of the building and to bring the Hall into the 21st century. Carter Owers Studio (COS) were commissioned to direct interior colour and finishes, source and design furniture and advise on art curation throughout the building.
COS’s aim was to imbue rooms with a sense of intimacy and history, marrying the past with a contemporary vision, combining character, elegance and purpose to craft spaces that resonate. Each room is given a clear individual identity through the choice of functional and decorative furniture, finishes and features.
COS were keen to establish a sense of intimacy with the building through intricate details: in the bathrooms, handmade ceramic tiles depicting a fleur-de-lis motif are inspired by the Company’s 16th century coat of arms. Additionally custom bronze curtain ties crafted from recast historic doorhandles bearing the Company’s lynx cat emblem. These details are designed to delight and engage, forging a personal connection between the building and its visitors.
The building is conceived as a series of ‘flow-through’ spaces, adaptable for large events and parties, or alternatively, as stand-alone discreet rooms available for private hire. This flexibility ensures that the venue can cater to a diverse range of functions, enhancing its utility and appeal. Complementing these spaces are designated members’ rooms, thoughtfully designed to provide a welcoming environment for members on a daily basis.
These rooms serve as versatile spaces for meeting, working, socialising, or preparing for Company events.
The grand State Rooms, located within the most historic part of the building, have been sensitively refreshed to preserve their grandeur while introducing contemporary touches.
In the basement, historic vaults are for the first time, available for hire. Enlarged and extended to include a new dedicated entrance on College Street, and changing facilities for members, the former wine cellar and subterranean storage space now offers a large and impressive vaulted events space for talks and suppers. The Roman remains of a culvert of the ancient River Wallbrook, discovered during the demolition period is now incorporated into the Hall design. This waterway had been important to the original Skinners’ in the preparation of pelts and furs when the first Hall stood on the site, before it was burnt down in the Great Fire of London.
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The Great Stair
Dowgate Hill entrance
No 8 Entrance
The first floor Dowgate Range had previously been subdivided into a collection of small cellular office spaces for the Company staff. Partitions were removed and original features exposed to reveal two, well proportioned, interconnecting reception rooms. Original window shutters were repaired, timber floors were exposed and oiled, and existing fireplaces were upgraded with new marble hearth stones. Both rooms are drenched in a deep green, with linen curtains colour matched to walls. An easy mix of antiques, new upholstery, craft furniture, and reissued 20th classics give the Drawing Room a relaxed, contemporary ambience. Custom stained Wegner Elbow Chairs, circle a vast William IV 16-seater table in the Dining Room, beneath giant, hand blown, seeded glass pendants. Significant artworks from the Company collection, including a series of portraits by artist Eric Kennington are hung on the walls along with 18th century guilt mirrors and 19th century ceramic tableware.
Dowgate Dining Room and Drawing Room
Formerly a library housing the Company’s ancient and priceless book collection, the airy, light-filled Members’ Drawing Room enjoys views onto the new College Street entrance. The room was substantially redecorated. Timber flooring was exposed and stained dark, plasterwork and timber mouldings was restored and panelling and period built in bookcases unified in neutral paint tones. Shuttered windows were dressed with new linen curtains and the existing chandelier was restrung and fitted with LED lamps. Several existing antique pieces were restored to the room, while new, Norfolk-made, rose-coloured sofas were commissioned for the centre-floor. A pair of 18th century elbow chairs were reupholstered in new, olive velvet.
The Great Stair
The Old Library
A formal meeting room in the Georgian style, The Parlour connects the Dowgate Range with the adjacent State Rooms. In reference to the Company’s historic links to international trade, the room hosts a collection of Thames and barge themed prints and cloth banners. The largest Company barge banner (a giant cloth pennant from the reign of George III), depicting Britannia, has influenced the striking colour scheme of the room: curtains bordered with crimson velvet sit against walls washed in dusty blue. Fumed oak and leather Hans Wegner chairs are paired with a large Regency meeting table bought at auction, while an elegant bespoke console table, in walnut wood, made by British craft makers Galvin Brothers is set with bronze and glass hoop-necked table lamps, part of the custom designed lighting family that includes wall lights and floor lights.
The Gallery
The Parlour
The Parlour
The Parlour
Lined with 17th Century oak wall panelling, and a collection of 16th century Elizabethan portraits of the Smythe family, the Committee Room works as a smaller meeting room or dining space for 14 people. Custom-stained, London-made elbow chairs, originally designed for the Bodleian Library, hug a large, bespoke designed table, made from reclaimed 19th century oak trestle tables. A large antique Persian rug centres the room, and heavy curtains in deep red velvet add a flash of bold colour.
With its own front door, the ground floor of No9 comprises a small but snug sitting room and an elegant, book lined reading room housing the Company’s extensive and valuable collection of antique books. Leather bound volumes are stored in beautiful, walnut and glass cabinets designed for the room and made by leading British manufacturer Benchmark. In contrast to the airiness of the entrance reception, furnished with green felted wingback chairs, dusty pink curtains and reclaimed lighting, the dark oxblood walls of the Reading Room, create a calm and focused ambience for members and visitors wishing to explore the book collection. On the first floor of No9 is a small meeting room for members and researchers working in residence. Taupe, brushed cotton drapes compliment the ochre walls and original, oiled floorboards, while antique chairs upholstered in blue leather and a vibrant woven red rug lift the space with colour.
Dowgate Reading Room
Walnut and glass cabinet detail
No9 Members' Meeting Room
The Great Hall
The largest of rooms within the building, the Great Hall, which dates back to 1670, proudly displays a collection of priceless, historic silverware, period oak panelling and a series of large-scale murals by artist Frank Brangwyn, commissioned for the building in 1901, depicting the history of the City of London Guilds. As part of the restoration works, carpet was removed to expose existing timber floorboards, bespoke wall lights and pendants designed by 6a Architects were installed and the ceiling was repainted in a sombre tone highlighted with a constellation of gilded guilloche details.
The Outer Hall, connected to the Great Hall through glazed doors, serves as a two-level reception area. The original timber flooring has been uncovered and a custom rug from The Rug Company, inspired by the Brangwyn paintings' colours in the adjacent hall, adorns the floor. This rug features a radial pattern that echoes the oculus on the gallery level above. A key feature of the room is the Malmsbury Chandelier, which dramatically spans both levels through the oculus. The upper level's ornately corniced walls and ceiling have been refreshed with a neutral colour palette, enhancing the prominence of the large gilt-framed portraits that line the walls. Additionally, original glazed doors provide access from the Outer Hall Gallery to a newly refurbished terrace outside.
Entrance to Gallery
The Outer Hall and Gallery
The Outer Hall and Gallery
The Virginian cedar wood panelled Court Room functions as a formal meeting room for the Company day to day, and a social and dining space combined with the newly accessible terrace outside for events. Timber floors were exposed and refurbished and overlaid with a rug made from recycled Livery carpet, the ornate ceiling was softened with putty-toned traditional lime distemper, and windows were updated with waxed cotton relaxed Roman blinds.
The Court Room
Court Room entrance
Basement Vaults
A new lease of life has been give to the significantly reconfigured subterranean vaults of the Hall, which now operates as a standalone venue with its own courtyard entrance. Bearing char from the Great Fire of London on the walls, and incorporating the Roman remains of a culvert of the River Wallbrook, the basement events space comprising a vaulted dining space, wine cellar, and Members’ Dressing Rooms is the newest, ‘oldest’ addition to Skinners’ Hall. Against a backdrop of highly textured, limewashed brickwork and limestone, bespoke timber tables and chairs and leather upholstered benches have been cleverly designed in collaboration with British manufacturer Isokon, to be reconfigured to suit multiple event settings, or folded away and stored neatly. In the stairwell, beneath three large, turn-of-the-century bronze reliefs by artist Robert Anning Bell, a custom rug traces the line of the ancient Wallbrook River running beneath the Hall, while a custom blue mohair ottoman creates comfortable break-out space to the adjacent cloakrooms and WCs.
Basement Vaults
Bespoke seating
Custom rug tracing the line of the ancient Walbrook River
The Members’ Dressing rooms, showers and lounge area occupy a historic brick vaulted space, once part of the kitchen serving the Georgian building. During the demolition process a vast brick kitchen range was discovered whilst an original lead lined sink adds historic texture in contrast to the new furniture additions. A shapely thick slab of slate, reclaimed from the buildings’ old cold store has been paired with oak shelving and brass framed mirror to form a dressing table, while velvet ottoman stools, a generous Pinch armchair and a custom commissioned flatweave rug add a soft tactility to the cellar space.
Members' Dressing Rooms WCS
Members' Dressing Rooms WCS
