AFTER months of painstaking building work, and almost 20 years under a scaffold, the public will soon get its first look at the newly restored Headstone Manor House.

The steel and plastic covering that has enveloped the grade one-listed building in Pinner View, North Harrow will be completely dismantled in the next few days.

The scaffolding itself will be taken down at the end of July.

The oldest parts of the building, consisting of a bay of timber-framed aisled hall and a two-storey cross wing, are known locally as the "Ancient Parts" and date back to the 14th century.

The £1 million renovation has centred on making it structurally sound and weatherproof, revealing the building's exterior to many, particularly the younger generation, for the first time.

Situated next to the popular Harrow Museum and Heritage Centre, the Manor House is one of the most important historical sites in the country.

The "Ancient Parts" is the earliest standing timber-framed house in Middlesex while it is also encircled by the only complete water-filled moat in the county.

The house, once owned by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Henry VIII, has assimilated a number of different architectural styles in its long history.

Instead of removing additions and alterations from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, skilful renovation work has retained around 90 per cent of the building's past so that visitors will see a unique timeline of its 700-year history.

Project manager Ian Wilson said: "The architects, Donald Insall Associates, have worked with council officers and English Heritage, on a sympathetic repair philosophy that has enabled most of the surviving historic fabric to be retained.

"Traditional materials and craftsmanship have been used throughout with all modern insertions either discretely located within the existing fabric, or left clearly visible externally."

Only one new doorway and a staircase have been added for safety reasons.

"The rest of the building has been repaired as we have found it," said Mr Wilson. "This is consistent with good construction practice. We don't tamper with the past unless there's a good reason."

Mr Wilson praised the "attitude and professionalism" of the main historic buildings contractor, Mowlem, Rattee and Kett.

"This has been a team effort, requiring a sensible working relationship between the design team and the contractor," he said. "There have been a number of unforeseen difficulties, inevitable with a project of this nature, all of which have been overcome in an atmosphere of mutual respect and co-operation."

With the outer shell of the building almost complete, the council are seeking further funding to repair and restore the "Remaining Parts" inside the house, and a number of other projects.

For the "Ancient Parts", the council spent £750,000, while £235,000 came from English Heritage and around £50,000 from Harrow Heritage Trust.

A feasibility study has been commissioned into developing the rest of the Manor, with a view to getting another significant grant.

Councillor Keith Burchell said: "There's still a lot of work to be done including important work to the bridge and the moat but we are very proud of what has been done so far. Ian and the team have done a fantastic job.

"But this is just the beginning. We have set up a steering group to discuss making the most of the Manor in the future.

"I very much hope that this will be one of the biggest tourist attractions in the area and a vital resource for children in schools up and down the borough.

"Not only will they learn about the history of the building but the process by which it has been restored.

"We are lucky to have such a building in Harrow."

The public will get their first chance to inspect the works at an open weekend on September 17 and 18.

For more information, call the museum on 020 8861 2626.