The Building of Cecil Sharp House

An illustrated guide by Brenda Godrich

This fascinating and insightful booklet tells the story of how Cecil Sharp House came to be built. The narrative starts with the man who founded the English Folk Dance Society and to whom the headquarters building was dedicated after his death.

It explains the external look of the building, why particular materials were used in the construction, and tells how the early, and in many ways ground-breaking, acoustic panels were made. The involvement of members of the Art Workers’ Guild and the work of designer Betty Joel added to the lavish feel of the interiors as the many contemporary photographs show.

When the building was opened in 1930 it received widespread praise from the architectural profession, and it gave a tremendous amount of prestige to the Society. The War years brought partial destruction and the loss of some distinctive features, but the booklet concludes with the rebuilding and subsequent changes made in the second half of the twentieth century.

Published EFDSS 2009