‘Old and unfit for other service?’ Maintaining the Fabric of Parliament c.1660–1760

Abstract

The old palace of Westminster developed organically over the period it was used by parliament. As well as the Lords and the Commons, it was also home to the law courts and a number of people, officials and otherwise, who lived on site. It was also a commercial hub. On occasion, there were initiatives to redevelop the complex but these were never acted upon. Instead, there was a regular programme of replacement of perishables and occasional small-scale developments in preference to undertaking more dramatic alterations. This article considers the way in which parliament was maintained from the Restoration in 1660 to the accession of George III, the pressures to adapt on those who lived and worked there, and the conflicting interests involved in overseeing the various buildings. Concentrating on the house of lords and drawing on the papers of the lord chamberlain and lord great chamberlain, two of the central figures in managing the palace, it will highlight the tendency to rely on ad hoc solutions. It will also underscore the importance of the complex bureaucratic relationships within the palace, which may have helped preclude a more unified vision for the site.