Case study: A sensitive bathroom renovation inside Thornbury Castle

Thornbury Castle exterior
730 565 Pauline Brettell
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Case study: A sensitive bathroom renovation inside Thornbury Castle

Once owned by Henry VIII, Thornbury Castle, having undergone an extensive and impressive renovation, has been transformed into a luxury hotel and sought after event venue. Schlüter-Systems came to the rescue with a full system solution…

Thornbury Castle exterior

Situated in the heart of Gloucestershire, Thornbury Castle is the last Tudor Castle to be built in England. Once owned by Henry VIII, it is now a high-end luxury hotel and popular venue for weddings and other grand events. This impressive renovation project saw multiple guestrooms and guest bathrooms refurbished and reimagined.

Due to its historic roots, there needed to be a balance between creating the new facilities whilst retaining the charm of the famous Grade I listed building. Schlüter-Systems were able to help with this tricky task, offering a full system solution using Schlüter-KERDI products to ensure waterproofing within the guest bathrooms, which were designed and specified by Childs Sulzmann Architects.

bathroom renovation at thornbury Castle using schluter sytem

Image credit: Schlüter-Systems

For areas of high moisture, waterproofing is an essential consideration, and it takes on an even greater significance when it comes to preserving historic buildings such as Thornbury Castle. To meet this requirement, a selection of Schlüter products were utilised to create a fully tanked system. This included the BBA-certified Schlüter-KERDI-BOARD tiling substrate and sealing components Schlüter-KERDI-KEBA sealing band, KERDI-COLL-L sealant adhesive and Schlüter-KERDI-KERECK which was used for internal corners.
To provide entry level within the shower area, Schlüter-KERDI-LS sloped shower tray and Schlüter-SHOWERPROFILE-S tapered profile were installed beneath the tiles.

When working on the design and specification of bathrooms within heritage buildings, waterproofing will ensure the building is preserved for generations to come, and Schlüter-Systems are able to work within heritage constraints to create sympathetic and practical solutions.

Schlüter-Systems is one of our Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our Recommended Suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.

Main image credit: Schlüter-Systems / Thornbury Castle

Pauline Brettell / 08.02.2022

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Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

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Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

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