Piccotts End, Hertfordshire

The project at Piccotts End is largely preventive conservation, in the form of condition monitoring this extremely rare scheme of late 15^th or early 16^th century paintings.  This programme of monitoring and treatment, as required, follows an episode of historic water damage which had resulted in flaking and delamination of the paint layers.

This beautiful scheme of painting was discovered in 1953 under layers of wallpaper, limewash, and a linen covering in 1953 by the owner of the cottage at the time. The scheme consists of a series of seven panels arranged in two tiers on the north wall of the cottage and shows the Baptism of Christ, Christ in Majesty, St Catherine of Alexandria, a Pieta, St Clement, St Peter, and St Margaret – all portrayed against a backdrop of rich foliate design of scroll work and flowers.  The scheme is executed on a plaster and timber internal wall in a typical palette of the period, using a water-based medium.

Flaking was first observed during a conservation condition survey some years ago, since which time external maintenance work has been undertaken on the building to address the source of the water ingress which had resulted in the flaking.  Two conservation campaigns followed to map the flaking and undertake remedial work to fix it where observed.  Since my involvement in the project, I have undertaken a watching brief in the form of an annual visit, to monitor the surface of the paintings, map any vulnerabilities or deterioration factors and either treat them, or advise on further action, as required.  New flaking is treated if observed – although since the maintenance work on the building and stabilisation of the environmental conditions, and the programme of treatment, the flaking associated with previous water damage is no longer active.