A La Ronde

This unique 16-sided building was constructed in the 1790s as a private home for two wealthy Regency spinsters. It was designed with interconnecting rooms positioned off a central octagon-shaped space which rises up to a gallery intricately decorated with shells, feathers, glass, paint and other materials. The Shell Gallery’s historic interior is currently in a fragile state of repair and in need of attention. Prior to the formulation of conservation proposals, architectural paint research was commissioned in both rooms to gain a better understanding of their development as well as the materials and techniques employed in their decoration.