Details behind the major £1.9 million refurbishment of one of Sutton’s most historic buildings have been revealed ahead of its reopening this weekend.

Whitehall Historic House, in Malden Road, is scheduled to open its doors for the first time since first undergoing ‘vital’ repairs in approximately April 2016.

The 518-year-old Grade II* listed museum in Cheam Village will become available again on June 16 and here is what has gone on.

Jane Allen, Sutton Council’s heritage service manager, said: “Repair work to the building has involved tackling a damp problem and removing some intrusive 20th Century fixtures, while other original features have been restored.

“Sensitive restoration has revealed the best features form Whitehall’s history. Through careful reconfiguration, the museum now has around 70 percent of its interior accessible to wheelchair users, together with its traditionally landscaped garden.

“A new terraced area accessed from the tea rooms gives visitors greater access to and visibility of the garden, including its 14th Century well.

“We have brought the former Warden’s Flat, which occupied more than 50 percent of the first floor, back into museum use, to help one of our core aims of increasing the visitor numbers from 7,000 to 20,000 per annum.”

GALLERY: Click through the photos above to see images inside Whitehall Historic House

Whitehall Historic House underwent the repairs in April 2016 after funding for the project was secured from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

Additional money – from the council, Friends of Whitehall charity, and others donors – have helped increase the sum.

With the project having started in approximately April 2016, it is soon nearing completion with new programme of activities to encourage more visitors.

Ms Allen added: “We wanted to both preserve and enhance Whitehall, so have used a mixture of old and new techniques.

“The historic fabric did not lend itself to wholesale environmental improvements, however, the sensitive alterations have been made where we would demonstrate significant benefit in use.

“For example, switching to LED lighting has reduced yearly carbon emissions from five tonnes to less than one tonne, with a goal of reducing even further things like secondary glazing, new electric heating panels, and a central control system.”

For more information on forthcoming events, click here.

She continued that “traditional” techniques have been used to restore the historic fabric – such as lime plaster, lime render, and beeswax floor polish.

Meanwhile, rotten timber was removed and replaced with new oak beams which was inserted and spliced into the existing sound fabric using “traditional” carpentry methods.

It is said new visitors will also benefit due to the two new extensions which provide a new access point, accessible toilets, and a “dedicated” gallery space.

The second extension is a two-storey lift and stair tower which provides, for the first time, disabled access to the first floor.

There are also sound and light installations, as well as audio visual guides which have been placed at several different points.

Ms Allen said: “The ground floor introduces the visitor to the storey of Cheam, up to and including Whitehall’s construction.

“The first floor explores the fortunes of the village, up and to including the First World War [and] the attic space is where we focus on Whitehall’s past residents.

“The aim is to effectively create a time machine for exploring Cheam’s evolution and that of the nation and citizens around it.”