Hac Iter Ad Astra This, the Way to the Stars
PRESERVING THE GREAT HALL CEILING
This, the Way to the Stars PRESERVING THE GREAT HALL CEILING
The overmantel of the Upper Great Hall includes a 20th century painting featuring a banner that bears the Drayton family motto: “Hac Iter Ad Astra”, Latin for “This, the way to the stars”. For more than two and a half centuries, Drayton Hall has endured; surviving wars, natural disasters, and the steady passage of time that claimed so many of Charleston’s historic houses. Why it remains when others were lost is, in many ways, a mystery. What is certain is that its remarkable state of preservation offers an irreplaceable window into the past. The Drayton family served as stewards of this extraordinary place for seven generations before entrusting its care to the public. That legacy of stewardship guides our work to this day. Rather than restore the house to a single moment in time, our philosophy is to preserve the house as it was received from the Drayton family. This approach offers an unusually authentic experience and allows us to learn from its layers of history.
Today, that commitment calls us to act.
The Great Hall ceiling, one of the most iconic features of the house, is at a critical juncture. The Great Hall, accessible through a set of double doors from the first-floor portico, is ornamented in the Doric order with a decorated frieze featuring lotus and thistle blossoms. The iconic, 12-foot ceiling in this room is decorated with cast plaster elements including stars, vines, leaves, and flowers, a design that likely dates to the 1880s. Physical and archival evidence indicates that the current ceiling is the third to be featured in this space. Although it has endured for generations, persistent structural problems and the degradation of old repairs have threatened the ceiling, and investigations have revealed that a more permanent solution is increasingly urgent. Without intervention, the risk is not only deterioration, but sudden and irreversible loss.
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The house is no stranger to damage whether of natural or human causes:
“A carpenter & plasterer came to survey defects of house, to estimate repairs.” — MAY 1816, DIARY OF CHARLES DRAYTON
Colleagues at Boscobel House and Gardens said of a recent plaster ceiling failure:
“The cost of inaction, in terms of potential damage to a historic site, ability to serve our audience, the risk to staff and visitors, and the impact on our bottom line that will be felt for years to come, is far greater than the cost of timely intervention.”
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The Great Hall CEILING PATTERN ANALYSIS
CRACK PATTERN BASED ON 5 DIFFERENT SIZES
Decoration Cracks (large) Cracks (medium) Cracks (small) Cracks (hairline) Cracks (sub-hairline) Plaster Limit
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LEFT: In October 2025, the UK’s foremost plaster conservator Richard Ireland examined the Great Hall ceiling and reached the same conclusion: the only sensible thing to do is act.
At Drayton Hall, we have the rare advantage of foresight. After extensive investigation and consultation with international experts, a clear path forward has emerged: a careful, methodical rehabilitation effort that will stabilize the structure, preserve as much historic material as possible, and ensure the ceiling’s survival for generations to come. This work will also contribute valuable knowledge to the field of historic preservation, advancing our collective understanding of early materials and techniques. It may even reveal new secrets about Drayton Hall’s architecture and design. Most important of all, it will protect access to Drayton Hall for generations to come, including—for the first time ever—the Upper Great Hall in its entirety.
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This is a pivotal moment in the life of Drayton Hall, one that calls for both care and commitment.
With your support, we can prevent loss of historic material and transform the way this extraordinary place is understood and appreciated.
“This, the Way to the Stars” A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME PHILANTHROPIC OPPORTUNITY
As this critical preservation work begins, we invite you to become part of the story by inscribing your name into the history of Drayton Hall.
Exclusively for supporters of this project, we are offering a limited number of naming opportunities within the house itself. It is only through this moment of urgent and active conservation that we can do so.
With a leadership gift to the House Preservation Fund in support of the Great Hall ceiling project, you will help:
Protect the safety of staff and visitors Preserve the historic paint and delicate carvings throughout the house Prevent catastrophic loss of the iconic Great Hall ceiling Advance important scholarship in historic preservation and ornamental plaster conservation Allow visitors to examine every inch the Upper Great Hall for the first time ever
In recognition of your generosity, you may name one or more of the Great Hall ceiling’s decorative plaster ornaments. These distinctive opportunities may be created in your own name, or in honor or memory of someone meaningful, offering a lasting and deeply personal connection to this extraordinary place.
How It Works STEP 1: SELECT YOUR ORNAMENT Choose from a range of decorative plaster elements, with giving levels from $1,000 to $250,000 based on the impact you wish to make. STEP 2: RESERVE YOUR SELECTION Complete and return your reservation form, indicating your preferred ornament number(s), recognition name(s), and method of payment. STEP 3: INSCRIPTION AND INSTALLATION Our preservation team will carefully inscribe your chosen name on the base of your selected ornament before it is permanently installed within the Great Hall ceiling.
STEP 4: CONFIRMATION AND DOCUMENTATION
You will receive a formal acknowledgment of your gift, along with a ceiling diagram and a photograph documenting your named element.
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The Naming Opportunities While the precise intent of the late 19th century ceiling design remains unknown, several of its decorative elements echo motifs found in the Great Hall’s original 18th century woodwork. For this campaign, we’ve curated the following opportunities for leadership level donors to leave an indelible mark at Drayton Hall.
THISTLE FLOWER Often described as beautiful yet prickly, the thistle symbolizes protection and the defiant spirit of Drayton Hall to endure through the centuries. Central motif, 1 available — $250,000 INSCRIPTION OF UP TO 300 CHARACTERS VINE BORDER A continuous, flowing design symbolizing growth, connection, and the passage of time. 2 available — $100,000 each INSCRIPTION OF UP TO 200 CHARACTERS BULLNOSE MOLDING BORDER A defining architectural feature reflecting stability, support, and lasting stewardship. 2 available — $50,000 each INSCRIPTION OF UP TO 200 CHARACTERS SCALLOP BORDER A nod to the original wood carvings present on Drayton Hall walls and furnishings, which survive to this day. 2 available — $50,000 each INSCRIPTION OF UP TO 200 CHARACTERS
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SUMMER BEAM The term summer beam—a massive, load-bearing horizontal timber used in traditional timber framing—does not refer to the season. It traces its roots to the Old/Anglo-French word sommier, which translates to “beast of burden” or “packhorse.” 2 available — $75,000 each INSCRIPTION OF UP TO 300 CHARACTERS LOTUS FLOWER A timeless symbol of renewal and rebirth, emerging gracefully from the past. 4 available — $25,000 each INSCRIPTION OF UP TO 50 CHARACTERS MAGNOLIA FLOWER An iconic Southern bloom representing dignity, perseverance, and natural elegance. 15 available — $10,000 each INSCRIPTION OF UP TO 50 CHARACTERS MAGNOLIA LEAF A lasting emblem of the Southern landscape reflecting quiet strength and personal legacy. 39 available — $5,000 each INSCRIPTION OF UP TO 50 CHARACTERS ACANTHUS LEAF A classical decorative form long associated with enduring artistry and architectural tradition. 35 available — $5,000 each INSCRIPTION OF UP TO 50 CHARACTERS STAR Honoring the Drayton family motto “This, the Way to the Stars.” 200+ available — $1,000 each INSCRIPTION OF UP TO 30 CHARACTERS
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Sketch of Lower Great Hall Ceiling , by Lewis Reeve Gibbes (1810–1894), Charleston, c. 1845. Drayton Papers Collection. Courtesy of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Gift of the late Mr. Charles H. Drayton III and the late Mrs. Martha Drayton Mood.
Board of Trustees
Elizabeth S. Halstead Chair Henry B. Smythe Vice Chair Cynthia Kellogg Vice Chair Dirk Brown Treasurer Debra J. Gammons Secretary
Thomas Anderson Jimmy Bailey, Jr. Nathan P. Berry Matthew Cochrane-Logan Frank B. Drayton Jr. Shannon C. Eaves, Ph.D. James Ewing Lee Goodman Mary Gregorie Howard Sarah J. Johnson
Kristopher B. King Benjamin F. Lenhardt Jr. Peter McCoy Vanessa Turner-Maybank
Anne E. Nelson Nancy S. Santi Steven W. Spandle Sheila Wertimer Ashley R. Wilson Anthony Wood
Omar Eaton-Martinez National Trust for Historic Preservation, Ex-Officio
TRUSTEES EMERITI W. Hampton Morris Michael B. Prevost
For additional information, please contact Halley Cella at hcella@draytonhall.org or 843.769.2601. To follow our progress in real time, please visit https://draytonhall.org/the-estate/the-great-hall-ceiling/
Drayton Hall Preservation Trust fosters a deeper understanding of colonial America and the evolution of life in the South by discovering, researching, conserving, and interpreting the history, context, and culture of Drayton Hall.
DRAYTONHALL.ORG | 843.769.2600 3380 ASHLEY RIVER ROAD, CHARLESTON, SC 29414
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