The Skinners' Company

Our Hall

Skinners’ Hall is a Grade I Listed Building and has been home to The Skinners' for over 700 years.

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We offer a harmonious blend of old and new, with unique accessible events spaces.

Net Zero by 2030*

*projected

60-70% reduction*
in the typical energy consumption for a livery hall

*RIBA figures 2030

100+ kWh/m2 reduction*
in energy usage

*projected

50% decrease in CO₂
at a minimum

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“I have developed a strong bond with our scheduled ancient monument and all that it represents. It has been a privilege to have been a part of its major refurbishment. Skinners’ Hall is becoming even more special. ”

Paul Richards

Hall Director

Incredible food, impeccable service and imaginative events

Our caterer, Blue Strawberry, merge innovative food with creative design to produce exceptional events.

History of the Hall

The Early Years

  1. Medieval

    The first Skinners met each other in local taverns or churches to discuss their trade and problems, but as they became wealthier, they began to pay for more permanent rooms.

     

     

  2. 1999
  3. 1295

    The Skinners' leased the building known as the ‘Copped Hall’ (this was originally on the site now occupied by Skinners' Hall). The property faced Dowgate Hill and was the London home of Edmund, Earl of Cornwall. There were five shops, rooms above and the main hall at the rear was accessed via a courtyard that gave ample space for preparing processions and pageants. Harbin's "Dictionary of London" states that the Skinners' were in possession of the Copped Hall in the time of Henry 111 (1216-1272). Harbin refers to a deed dated 1267, however this deed is not in the Company's ownership. The earliest reliable deed is dated 1295 (pictured).

  4. 1999
  5. 1602

    Land to the rear of the hall formerly the site of Whittington College located on College Hill was purchased (now the location of the Old Court Room and Court Room). 

     

     

  6. 1999
  7. 1666

    The great fire of London saw the building destroyed to ground level, but parts of the basement remained intact. Rebuilding started immediately, with the new hall being completed by 1672.  
    52 livery Halls were destroyed by the fire.  
    Today, the building is Grade 1 listed with the basement listed as a scheduled ancient Monument. 

  8. 1999
  9. 1770-1790

    Frontage of the building was altered to the design of William Jupp to the design as it is today with a few minor changes. 

     

     

  10. 1999

The Last Century

  1. 1902

    The Skinners' Company commissions a series of murals from the celebrated artist Sir Frank Brangwyn. He was chosen because Thomas Lane Devitt, a past Master, had already sponsored him to paint a mural for the Royal Exchange. He had originally been asked to depict the "stir and colour of the long-drawn pageant of the guild". Thus, each of the original ten panels along the side walls show important occasions in the Company's history. 

  2. 1999
  3. 1911

    The Courtyard was transformed - closing the rear areas in the Great Courtyard and removing the iron railings, laying new flagstones and the creating a new entrance, in the style of a cloistered walk. The works took some time and were concluded as conflict broke out in 1914.  

  4. 1999
  5. 1920

    The Skinners' Company is presented with the Bell which is now hung in the Outer Hall, cast in 1190. It is one of the oldest in the country, cast by monks and found in the ruins of an old monastery in Wales. It was taken to the Whitechapel Bell Foundry and then donated to the Company by Douglas (Ding Dong) Hughes, a Skinner, who was at that time the Director of the Whitechapel bell foundry. 

  6. 1999
  7. 1934

    Following work to repair damage to timbers in the hall caused by death-watch beetle, additional damage was suffered from a fire in the roof of the Great Hall. 

  8. 1999
  9. 1941

    Bombing damaged the Oak Drawing Room and destroyed the Clerk's Office Sadly during this Mr Wallis Bull (a firewatcher at Skinners' Hall) lost his life. 

  10. 1999
  11. 1944

    Bombing damaged the Court Room and Cedar Drawing Room.  
    Butler George Stiles, a Fire Warden, was known to have kicked firebombs from the roof. He convinced the Fire Brigade to favour the Hall - with the assistance of the spirit cupboard! 

  12. 1999
  13. 1950

    The Malmesbury Chandelier was donated. Made in one of the glass factories sponsored by Potemkin (the favourite/lover and first Minister to Catherine the Great of Russia), the chandelier was a gift from Catherine the Great to the Rt Hon Sir James Harris - later to become the 1st Earl of Malmesbury, Envoy-Extraordinary to Russian Court.  
    Brought back to England in the 1780's it was donated in 1950 by the 6th Earl of Malmesbury. The chandelier was made of British Glass originally lit by candle, then gas and then electric. 

  14. 1999
  15. 1968

    David Beale, a Skinner, left a generous legacy to the Company for ‘corporate purposes’. No conditions were stipulated. This became a very important gift for the future of the Hall. The Beale legacy becomes the enabler for the redevelopment of Skinners’ Hall, making it sustainable and accessible for generations to come.

  16. 1999
  17. 1987-1990

    The old garden area of Skinners' is redeveloped to provide for Pellipar House and the Company, equipped with new kitchen, roof top garden and service areas. 

  18. 1999
  19. 2016-2017

    The Clerk defined a vision for the re-development of Skinners’ Hall and The Court employed a team of consultants, led by Tom Emerson of 6a Architects to produce plans to conserve and maintain the Hall. A team of Skinners who supervise the project are formed, chaired by Lord Malmesbury.

  20. 1999
  21. 2021-2022

    Designs were finalised, and planning permission was granted. Staff moved into temporary office space and Master John Emms hosted the last Election Night Dinner before the Hall’s closure. 
    The hall was carefully emptied of its contents and works began with Rooff Construction in May 2022

  22. 1999
  23. 2024

    Staff return to the Hall in the newly renovated Dowgate Range where meetings can now take place. All are looking forward to the full re-opening of Skinners’ Hall in 2025.

  24. 1999
  1. Medieval

    The first Skinners met each other in local taverns or churches to discuss their trade and problems, but as they became wealthier, they began to pay for more permanent rooms.

  2. 1999
  3. 1295

    The Skinners' leased the building known as the ‘Copped Hall’ (this was originally on the site now occupied by Skinners' Hall). The property faced Dowgate Hill and was the London home of Edmund, Earl of Cornwall. There were five shops, rooms above and the main hall at the rear was accessed via a courtyard that gave ample space for preparing processions and pageants. Harbin's "Dictionary of London" states that the Skinners' were in possession of the Copped Hall in the time of Henry 111 (1216-1272). Harbin refers to a deed dated 1267, however this deed is not in the Company's ownership. The earliest reliable deed is dated 1295 (pictured).

  4. 1999
  5. 1602

    Land to the rear of the hall formerly the site of Whittington College located on College Hill was purchased (now the location of the Old Court Room and Court Room). 

  6. 1999
  7. 1666

    The great fire of London saw the building destroyed to ground level, but parts of the basement remained intact. Rebuilding started immediately, with the new hall being completed by 1672.  
    52 livery Halls were destroyed by the fire.  
    Today, the building is Grade 1 listed with the basement listed as a scheduled ancient Monument. 

  8. 1999
  9. 1684-1687

    The Hall was let to the Commissioners of Farthings for use as an 'adjunct' to the Tower Mint. The production of coinage at Skinners' came, over time, to be centred upon the creation of ‘Real Plantation' farthings, the first authorized coins specifically for the English North American colonies. They were the only coinage struck under the authority of the English Crown using a Spanish denomination.

  10. 1999
  11. 1700

    The East India Company donated the dining table in the Old Court Room to commemorate their use of the Hall between 1698 -1709. 

  12. 1999
  13. 1770-1790

    Frontage of the building was altered to the design of William Jupp to the design as it is today with a few minor changes. 

  14. 1999
  15. 1902

    The Skinners' Company commissions a series of murals from the celebrated artist Sir Frank Brangwyn. He was chosen because Thomas Lane Devitt, a past Master, had already sponsored him to paint a mural for the Royal Exchange. He had originally been asked to depict the "stir and colour of the long-drawn pageant of the guild". Thus, each of the original ten panels along the side walls show important occasions in the Company's history. 

  16. 1999
  17. 1911

    The Courtyard was transformed - closing the rear areas in the Great Courtyard and removing the iron railings, laying new flagstones and the creating a new entrance, in the style of a cloistered walk. The works took some time and were concluded as conflict broke out in 1914.  

  18. 1999
  19. 1920

    The Skinners' Company is presented with the Bell which is now hung in the Outer Hall, cast in 1190. It is one of the oldest in the country, cast by monks and found in the ruins of an old monastery in Wales. It was taken to the Whitechapel Bell Foundry and then donated to the Company by Douglas (Ding Dong) Hughes, a Skinner, who was at that time the Director of the Whitechapel bell foundry. 

  20. 1999
  21. 1934

    Following work to repair damage to timbers in the hall caused by death-watch beetle, additional damage was suffered from a fire in the roof of the Great Hall. 

  22. 1999
  23. 1941

    Bombing damaged the Oak Drawing Room and destroyed the Clerk's Office Sadly during this Mr Wallis Bull (a firewatcher at Skinners' Hall) lost his life. 

  24. 1999
  25. 1944

    Bombing damaged the Court Room and Cedar Drawing Room.  
    Butler George Stiles, a Fire Warden, was known to have kicked firebombs from the roof. He convinced the Fire Brigade to favour the Hall - with the assistance of the spirit cupboard! 

  26. 1999
  27. 1950

    The Malmesbury Chandelier was donated. Made in one of the glass factories sponsored by Potemkin (the favourite/lover and first Minister to Catherine the Great of Russia), the chandelier was a gift from Catherine the Great to the Rt Hon Sir James Harris - later to become the 1st Earl of Malmesbury, Envoy-Extraordinary to Russian Court.  
    Brought back to England in the 1780's it was donated in 1950 by the 6th Earl of Malmesbury. The chandelier was made of British Glass originally lit by candle, then gas and then electric. 

  28. 1999
  29. 1968

    David Beale, a Skinner, left a generous legacy to the Company for ‘corporate purposes’. No conditions were stipulated. This became a very important gift for the future of the Hall. The Beale legacy becomes the enabler for the redevelopment of Skinners’ Hall, making it sustainable and accessible for generations to come.

  30. 1999
  31. 1987-1990

    The old garden area of Skinners' is redeveloped to provide for Pellipar House and the Company, equipped with new kitchen, roof top garden and service areas. 

  32. 1999
  33. 2016-2017

    The Clerk defined a vision for the re-development of Skinners’ Hall and The Court employed a team of consultants, led by Tom Emerson of 6a Architects to produce plans to conserve and maintain the Hall. A team of Skinners who supervise the project are formed, chaired by Lord Malmesbury.

  34. 1999
  35. 2021-2022

    Designs were finalised, and planning permission was granted. Staff moved into temporary office space and Master John Emms hosted the last Election Night Dinner before the Hall’s closure. 
    The hall was carefully emptied of its contents and works began with Rooff Construction in May 2022

  36. 1999
  37. 2024

    Staff return to the Hall in the newly renovated Dowgate Range where meetings can now take place. All are looking forward to the full re-opening of Skinners’ Hall in 2025.

  38. 1999

A Restoration For The Ages Part One

Autumn 2023

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A Restoration For The Ages Part Two

Summer 2024

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Where to find us

Address

8 Dowgate Hill, London, EC4R 2SP

Location

Skinners’ Hall is located on Dowgate Hill, off Cannon Street. Nearest train/tube stations are Cannon Street and Bank.

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Nearest parking

London Vintry Thames Exchange, Bell Wharf Lane, London EC4R 3TB
(4 mins walk) 
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Baynard House Car Park, London. EC4V 4BQ
(10 mins walk) 
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For further parking options, visit Parkopedia – 
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