The Drapers’ Company

The Drapers’ Company, City of London.

Founded over 600 years ago, the Drapers’ Company is incorporated by Royal Charter and is one of the Twelve Great Livery Companies in the City of London.

Drapers Hall was traditionally a place where members of the guild met to discuss and co-ordinate business. At first, they used individuals’ houses but in the 1420s the Drapers’ guild decided to build its own Hall. This first Hall was in St. Swithin’s Lane.

The present Hall, situated in Throgmorton Street, was bought from King Henry VIII in 1543 for the sum of 1,800 marks (approximately £1,200). This had been the house of Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex and Chief Minister to Henry, but had been forfeited to the King on Cromwell’s execution in July 1540.Destroyed by the Great Fire of 1666, Drapers’ Hall was rebuilt between 1667 and 1671 to designs by Edward Jarman. In 1772, it was again rebuilt after a fire which did considerable damage and, in the 1860s, the frontage was changed and the interior altered by Herbert Williams. It was later altered once more in 1898-9 by Sir Thomas Graham Jackson.

Today the hall is also available for private hire and events as well as company business.

Drapers Hall Reception Desk

Custom designed reception desk covering.

Entrance Reception Desk custom designed textile covering, incorporating a background pattern of the Company’s Crest in a mono toned cotton and viscose flax cloth. The fabric features the newly revised Drapers Coat of Arms woven in centered single motif.

The desk was part of a new scheme to modernise the reception which was designed by Paul Vonberg of Woodbridge Suffolk.

Project reference: 2158

Drapers Hall, The Court Dining Room

The Court Dining Room stands in the oldest part of Drapers’ Hall, dating in part to the late 17th century. In 1869, John G. Crace and Son were employed to improve and alter the decoration with the additions of coats of arms in the ceiling cove and oak wainscot around the walls.

Window drapes were woven in cotton and linen in a seven shade tissue, specially coloured to tone with draperies featured in the Tapestries.

The Tapestries are the main feature in the room’s decoration and cotton and linen fibres were chosen to compliment them and not detract from their rich texture. The design is also featured in a house in Berkley Square London.

Project reference: 2058