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).

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). 

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. 

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.

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

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

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. 

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.  

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. 

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. 

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. 

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! 

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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

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.