Leadlight Window Repair at Wadham College, Oxford

The Brief

The team at Sherriff Stained Glass Specialists were recently tasked with a leaded window repair project for Wadham College. Founded in 1610 by Dorothy Wadham, the College is one of the largest in Oxford with 250 graduate students and 450 undergraduates. With the original leaded light windows having fallen victim to vandalism, it was up to us to repair and restore them in such a way that retained the building’s historic charm.

Getting To Work

Lead glass windows by their very nature can be difficult to repair in situ. In this case, the process was complicated further due to the broken lead work. Without the structural integrity this lead work provides, there was a risk that any repairs could cause additional damage. With that in mind, we decided the best course would be to remove and transport the damaged panel to our workshops. There we would be able to undergo the lead light restoration without any further hazards.

With everything in place, the team used a sheet of Correx to temporarily glaze the opening in the house’s window. Correx is a great way of safely weatherproofing a window opening in a vulnerable area, and in this situation we used a twin-wall fire-proof plastic cut to size on site. With the opening protected, we could then remove the damaged leadlight before transporting it safely back to have the leadlight window repaired.

Once the leadlight restoration was complete, it was a simple process of removing the Correx and reinstalling the window in place.

The Result

The beautiful leadlight windows are now once again in keeping with the rest of the historic property. They provide an undeniable charm to Wadham House and we’re delighted we were able to reinvoke that sense of classic design.

Are you looking for a lead window restoration company for your own home or property? Our team of years at Sherriff Stained Glass Specialists have years of experience in leadlight window repairs. Get in contact with us by calling 01202 882208 or by sending an email to info@lead-windows.co.uk.