 During the Second World War the temple was used as a post for Air Raid Precautions wardens . It was given Grade I listed status in September 1952 and became part of a conservation area in the 1960s , when it was used for poetry readings . However , it had become neglected and vandalised by the 1970s . It suffered from wet and dry rot , vibrations from traffic on the busy nearby road had damaged the fabric of the building and thieves had stolen the lead off the roof . Donald Insall Associates , a specialist conservation architectural firm , was commissioned by Richmond upon Thames Council to restore the building at a cost of £ 37 @,@ 000 . The work was carried out by the building firm <unk> and the architect James <unk> Forge . Patrick Baty advised on the paint colours . 
