As our restoration project continues at Hatfield House, we are becoming ever more aware of both the enormity of the task and alongside that, the importance the restoration holds.
Our country's historic houses, now more than ever, hold such significance within our society and if we are to maintain these important links to times gone by and ensure they are there for years to come, restoration and conservation has never been so paramount.
With so many varying factors that the modern world brings to our historic buildings and contents, we must ensure that these treasured items are so very well cared for. Our modern environments and comforts are now huge contributors to the deterioration of important historic items. Factors such as sun damage, artificial light and heat, and even just general wear and tear from years of use and love. Many of these contributing factors for deterioration were never in the grand scheme for these pieces when they were initially constructed and so to ensure our future generations have access to these items in the same way we do, we are hoping to give a little insight on our journey through selected pieces to show both how we restore these items and what we can do to ensure their longevity.
Below is an example of the before and after of a set of chairs finished in the marble hall:
‘A set of eight George III mahogany hall chairs with moulded oval backs centred by panels painted with the Salisbury crest and with fluted waisted collars, the panelled seats on turned fluted tapering legs.
The chairs were of general poor condition, with loose joints, movement and general marks and scuffs
The chairs have now had structural repairs to the loose joints on the legs, the seats re-secured and the backs strengthened.
The surfaces have been cleaned, which has enhanced the polish and also revealed the colour of the painted centrepieces.’
