Millcroft has designed and delivered a highly sensitive internal scaffold solution at St Jude-on-the-Hill church in Hampstead Garden Suburb for the inspection and study of nationally significant First World War memorial artwork.
A historically significant project
St Jude-on-the-Hill is a Grade I listed building designed by Edwin Lutyens, one of the greatest English architects of the 20th Century. The oldest part of the church is the Lady Chapel, which houses a series of poignant wall paintings by Walter Starmer, completed in 1921 as a memorial to those lost in the First World War. These murals and frescos are considered among the finest early 20th century wall-painting schemes in the country.
The Courtauld Institute of Art, a renowned art history centre, has adopted the Lady Chapel as a fieldwork site for MA students in wall painting conservation and restoration. The Institute requires full access to all painted surfaces, including those under the chapel's domes, for condition surveys and study during the Spring 2026 semester.
Previous alloy tower solutions proved unsuitable because they could not provide the stability, reach, and controlled environment required for the study and conservation work.
The no-touch design
One of the main challenges of the project was that the scaffold could not physically touch any painted surfaces or be tied into them. The design also had to navigate numerous fixed ornamental items within the chapel. Our design team engineered a fully independent structure abutting only suitable masonry. Stability was achieved through careful load transfer, strategic bracing, and global stability planning to protect the artworks.
Millcroft’s team used 3D visualisation models to refine the initial full birdcage concept in collaboration with the client. The final solution provides independent perimeter access with high-level bridging, retains floor space for circulation and storage and reduces light impact within the chapel.
Installation began with a comprehensive floor protection comprising a heavy-duty plastic membrane and structural plywood sheeting to protect the original parquet floor from damage whilst providing local load distribution from scaffold standards.
Enhanced access for all
With regular access required for students, lecturers and guided tours, our scaffold solution needed to exceed what is typically seen on construction projects. Tube and fitting stair rises have been installed in place of ladders, and all working platforms are finished with fully secured boards and board clamps to eliminate movement.
A Layher lockable access door has been installed to prevent unauthorised access while the scaffold is in place, while bridging arrangements allow clear access to the altar area for continued ceremonial use.
Our specialist capability for heritage and conservation projects
Millcroft was shortlisted for this project based on our proven experience in delivering complex access solutions in sensitive heritage environments, specifically at the Painted Hall in Greenwich, where we provided a scaffold and access solution for conservation work within the Hall.
