XI. A further Account of the original Architecture of Westminster Hall. In a Letter from Sydney Smirke, Esq. F.S.A. to Sir Henry Ellis, K.H. F.R.S. Secretary

Since the date of my last communication to you respecting the restoration of Westminster Hall now in progress under the direction of my brother, Sir Robert Smirke, the interior of that building has been completed, and the exterior is now under the hands of the mason. You will remember, that in the course of the internal repair, I stated that a vast number of carved stone fragments of the older Norman Hall were met with, which had been used in some cases as ashlaring for the new face given to the walls from the string-course upwards in the reign of Richard II., but in most cases merely as rubble for filling up and rendering solid those parts which had been previously void. Some of these fragments of the original building, however, had remained undisturbed in their proper positions; for it does not appear that those who were employed in renovating the Hall at the last mentioned period gave themselves the trouble to move more stones than was absolutely necessary in order to effect their alterations. By means of these undisturbed remains it has been an easy task to compose a complete restoration of one side of the Norman Hall, a drawing of which I have the pleasure to forward to you.