Work begins to restore Croome fireplace

Buy photos » Dan Hanrahan gets the restoration underway. (s)

AN EXQUISITELY carved wooden fireplace in the Main Hall of Croome Court is undergoing the first stages of its restoration this week thanks to donations worth thousands of pounds.

The Eagle Fireplace, which has suffered from breakages and loss of detail from layers of modern white paint, is being restored over the next week in front of visitors to the National Trust mansion house.

The work has been made possible by an initial £500 donation from the Banbury National Trust Centre which the National Trust had intended to use to fix the broken wing of the bird which lies at the centre of the fireplace. A further £2,500 donation was then made from an anonymous donor who heard of the Trust’s plans and wanted to help restore the fireplace to its former glory.

Amy Forster, house and visitor services manager, said: "The first stage of the work will see Tankerdale, the National Trust’s specialists in woodwork restoration, replicating the missing pieces on the fireplace and conducting a paint analysis so we are able to understand what the 18th century fireplace originally looked like.

"We are really pleased we are seeing yet another restoration project at the house which is taking place in front of our visitors. The intricate work is really fascinating and Dan Hanrahan is able to talk to people about what he’s working on too."

The second half of the Great Horse painting conservation is also taking place inside Croome Court until next Wednesday (August 15) where visitors can see the retouching work completed to the massive work of art. The National Trust will be inviting visitors to have a go at removing varnish from less delicate paintings, created by Croome volunteers, to allow people to see what happens when a painting is restored.

The Great Horse painting, and the project to restore it, is on show at Croome Court which is open from 11am to 4.30pm and closed on Tuesdays. The garden, park, restaurant and shop are open every day from 10am to 5.30pm.

For more information call 01905 371006 or visit the website www.nationaltrust.org.uk/croome. Follow Croome on Twitter @NTCroome.

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