Pepys Building, Magdalene College Cambridge

Pepys Restoration Project Timeline

Pepys Restoration Project Timeline and Scope of Works.

Built between 1670 and 1703, the Grade I listed Pepys Building is a landmark within the Cambridge Historic Core Conservation Area.

For over 50 years, the College Library was housed on the ground floor, where generations of Magdalene Members studied in conditions far more compact than those enjoyed by students today. Many will remember supervisions with Mickey Dias in his ground-floor rooms, while a fortunate few once lived in the building itself.

The completion of the award-winning New Library in spring 2021 created the opportunity to undertake a long-overdue restoration of this historic building.

The Pepys Restoration Project will see the entire structure carefully restored. The right cloister will provide an improved visitor experience for the world-renowned Pepys Library. The left cloister will become the home of the Academic Office, while new teaching, lecture, and research spaces will ensure that the building continues to serve the College community for generations to come.

Restoration Timeline

Pepys Restoration Project Timeline

Restoration Scope of Works

Right Cloister

  • New Pepys Library ground floor entrance, original arched opening to be reinstated.
  • Installation of new automatic glass sliding door.
  • New external door.
  • New stone flags to the entrance lobby.
  • New accessible WC and visitor storage lockers.
  • New seminar teaching room.
  • New exhibition space.
  • New lift to provide wheelchair access.
  • New staircase.
  • New toilets.
  • New Plant Room.

Left Cloister

  • New offices. Academic Office to move from First Court.
  • Changes to kitchens and bathrooms in Fellows rooms.

Pepys Library

  • New automatic door to first floor.
  • New secondary glazing.
  • New window shutters.

Main Staircases

  • Retention of two original staircases.
  • Removal of existing paint on bannisters.

Building Repairs

  • Repairs to front elevation.
  • Repointing and stone replacement.
  • Stonework repair including rake out and repoint copings, chimneys and plinths.
  • Clean front elevation.
  • Structural support work.
  • Roof insulation.
  • Strip existing roof tiles, ridges, battens and felt and replace with new handmade roof tiles, battens, felt and insulation.
  • Replace leaded roofing including leading to window lights and dormers.
  • New guttering and downpipes.
  • New electrical and data cabling.
  • New heating, boiler and water supply system.
  • New plumbing.
  • New Ventilation system and related ductwork.
  • New flooring.
  • New decorating.
  • Removal and replacement of existing secondary glazing.
  • New lead flashing to heads of windows.
  • Refurbish existing external doors.
  • All windows are to be refurbished with new internal sash.
  • Plaster repairs to all floors.
  • Clean all exposed internal brick and stonework, repoint with lime mortar.
  • Repair and clean existing flagstones to cloister.
  • Repair existing floorboard, skirting and upstands.
  • Upgrade existing walls to 1/2 hr fire rating.
  • Existing WCs and bathrooms are to be refurbished with high-spec sanitary fittings.
  • New accessible WC.

Safety and Security

  • New door access control system.
  • New Video intercom.
  • New CCTV security system.
  • New Intruder alarm.
  • New emergency lightning protection system.