Music festivals and corporate events held at historic palaces have damaged the fabric of at least one of the nation’s most prized buildings, researchers have discovered.

Evidence has been found showing that the vibrations from loud music, too many stamping feet and explosions from fireworks are causing structures to crumble.

Damage has already been identified at Hampton Court Palace and it is feared that the effects have been replicated at the Tower of London, Kew Palace, Banqueting House and Kensington Palace. The finding from a study by conservation scientists at Historic Royal Palaces, which maintains and runs the properties, has forced them to impose new noise restrictions.

Music festivals, fireworks displays, corporate events, location filming and even a European Union summit have been held at the historic palaces to raise funds.

Tests at Hampton Court Palace, which holds an annual three-week music festival, revealed that noise vibrations were damaging windows and shaking valuable ornaments such as vases so violently that they shifted along mantelpieces and tables.

Researchers feared that damage to brickwork was also being caused and they said it was most likely to happen in places where flaws had already appeared, such as through frost damage.

“Vibration created by music was shown to have some effect on windows directly surrounding the stage area,” reported Dr Ian Gibb at the British Association conference in York.

“Windows became more ‘rattly’ when exposed to vibrations. Bass frequences, usually greater for pop concerts versus classical concerts, were found to increase the risk of damage.” He said that evidence for damage to brickwork was “less certain”, though there was anecdotal evidence to support fears, and more research needs to be carried out.

As a result of the findings at Hampton Court a second research project has been launched to determine how stonework at the Tower of London is affected by noise from concerts.

Dr Gibb said that the vibrations caused by fireworks were a concern to conservation staff at Historic Royal Palaces. “Our research showed they can indeed have an effect on windows and objects such as mirrors, mounted on outside walls. This is again due to the significant low-frequency noise created by firework displays.”

Corporate hospitality events were found to generate “significant levels of vibration” in rooms containing valuable historic artifacts. Among the concerns were vibrations caused by visitors’ feet or simply the slam of a door.

“Recurring shocks could be sufficient to cause ‘creep’ of objects such as vases along mantelpieces over time which must be continually monitored to protect objects from damage,” he added.

“Hosting a major music festival within a historic building increases the risk of damage to the fabric and contents through vibration caused by the music itself, as well as associated activities such as fireworks and corporate entertainment. Policies and procedures at Historic Royal Palaces are being revised in the light of this research to ensure that the palaces are protected.”

Kathryn Hallett, a senior conservation scientist at Historic Royal Palaces, said that the research had been made possible by the development of an accelerometer which enabled minute shocks to be measured. Conservationists at the properties used the results of the research to improve measures to protect the palaces from deterioration.

“It’s a fantastic piece of research,” she said. “It’s been so helpful to us.” While the research identified damage and the potential for damage, it was able to confirm that many of the precautionary measures to protect the palaces are effective.

During concerts and other events held at the properties to raise cash to cover running costs, expert conservationists are always present to ensure measures to protect structures and artifacts are in place and are working.

“We are trying to quantify the vibrations before any visual changes occur. We want to maintain and conserve the buildings to ensure they can be enjoyed for centuries to come,” added Miss Hallett.

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