Paint Investigations

During the investigations to the cellar, gallery and roof samples were taken from various parts of the chapel to look at the history of its paintwork, by scrapping down sections.

Photographs of the chapel show it with a heavy wood-grained effect paintwork. The paint scrapes show that the golden/yellow graining covered a brown tone stain or paint, which was used over the original wood surface. The last owner had covered the graining effect with grey and black paint.

In the 1960's the chapel was given a brighter feel with the front of the gallery being painted a bright blue. The blue paint was then covered recently by the same grey and black paint used by the previous owner in the 1990's.

Newly inserted wood can be clearly differentiated from the original wood of the gallery front,.
The original wood at the bottom of the picture is covered by the woodgrain effect,
and then the blue paint scheme.
All is overpainted by the grey and black paint of the 1990's. 

We have also been looking at the organ pipes. The recent grey paint seems to be covering over earlier pipe work decorative features. The conservation of such paintwork requires specialist investigations and will need to be given further attention.

Close inspection of the organ pipes.

Careful removal of the recent grey paint uncovers purple stripes and gothic lettering, some with bright gold and red highlights, which will be looked at in greater detail by an expert conservator.

This great photograph of the chapel shows it after the blue paint had been used to brighten up the interior. However, the refurbished chapel will be given a fresh paint scheme that will suite the new use by Age UK, but reflect its Independent Methodist heritage. Over the coming months we will be visiting some heritage chapel sites to help decide what kind of scheme will suit the new new use for the 21st century.