The condition audit of the collection is continuing to identify and prioritise wall paintings requiring programmes of conservation. This year 2 projects were undertaken as part of the collaborative training programme with the Courtauld Institute of Art. St Mary's Church in Kempley, Gloucestershire, is best known for its important Romanesque wall paintings. Most of this scheme, generally dated to about 1130, is restricted to the chancel and the east wall of the nave. However, the nave also retains considerable evidence of decorative phases dating from the 13th17th centuries and the results of the audit showed that the stratigraphy, extent, and condition of these multiple schemes has never conclusively been resolved or indeed comprehensively documented. This project therefore provided the opportunity to undertake a complete graphic and photographic record, complemented by analysis, in order to establish the chronology and condition of the various layers of painting. Emergency treatment was also carried out to stabilise vulnerable areas. Further recommendations for treatment and monitoring are now being implemented.
The Great Hall at Belsay Castle, Northumberland contains fragmentary but important remains of 14th, 15th, and 17th-century wall paintings. Of these the most significant is the 15th-century scheme which survives on parts of the north, south, and east walls. This includes representations of shields, shown hanging from trees and set against a floral background. Above, on the south wall, is an extremely unusual scene containing 2 ships which may relate to an episode in the history of the Middleton family who have owned Belsay since the 13th century. Two areas on the north and
south walls were covered with protective tissue in the mid-1980s during the restoration of the building. Treatment therefore focused on removing this facing and stabilising the plaster. Documentation and analysis to record the chronology and condition of the various schemes throughout the room was also undertaken. This revealed a further area of the 15th-century heraldic scheme on the east wall. The scene depicts a representation of a 'wild man', a motif traditionally associated with the Middleton arms, who is shown holding the family shield. Although badly deteriorated, this discovery is particularly exciting as an unidentified figure was recorded in this area during the last century but was subsequently thought to have been lost. As the paintings are still heavily obscured by dirt and an unidentified coating layer a further phase of treatment is planned to assess the feasibility of cleaning and improving their presentation.
