Work to protect key heritage building uncovers unique history
A renovation scheme to secure the city’s historic Mansion House for years to come has uncovered some unique history.
Over £1.3m is being invested in a range of essential repairs and improvements, including re-roofing the building, repairing its windows and ensuring it is health and safety-compliant.
As part of the renovation, a new glimpse of past colour schemes and décor has been revealed, offering inspiration for its redecoration.
Photomicrograph of a paint sample from a section of skirting in the Lord Mayor’s Drawing room at 200x magnification showing changing use of paint media across the decorative schemes.
Twelve layers of wallpaper dating back to the 1750s have been found in a hard-to-reach corner of the Mansion House’s first floor drawing room. Past decorators hadn’t stripped off the old wallpaper and over the years, layers had built up to create a unique record of changes in wallpaper design, pigments, and production techniques.
By carefully unpeeling these postage stamp-sized fragments, the hidden decorative history of the room has been revealed. Old black and white photos of the room show wallpaper designs, but the colours had been lost until this discovery.
Photomicrograph of a paint sample taken from one of the walls of the entrance hall showing variations in the use of colour, photographed at 200x magnification..
Cllr Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council said:
“The Mansion House is one of York’s most important and treasured civic buildings so it’s right we protect its future through this appropriate investment.
“These fascinating insights add extra value to our understanding of the building, York’s history and to the current renovation work. I’m very excited by these discoveries and can’t wait to see how the experts interpret the historic schemes into the redecoration of the Mansion House.
“These works are helping keep the much-loved building in prime condition and will be completed later this year, the 300th anniversary of work first beginning on the Mansion House.”
paint layers found during work in 2017 on the Mansion House’s facade
Damien Woolliscroft, Buttress associate and the project lead, said:
“Our approach to the works at York Mansion House is rooted in a deep respect for its history while ensuring its relevance for future generations. Our restorative works continue the long-term investment in the Mansion House’s future, enhancing its environmental performance, accessibility, and resilience to ensure this historic landmark remains a source of pride for the city.”
Charlotte Owen, Senior Architectural Paint Researcher at Hirst Conservation, said:
“It is always exciting when, at the initial stages of a project, there is archival record discussing decorative schemes to a building or interior.
“Understanding the fragments of wallpaper from the 2017 renovations had formed part of the initial scope of investigations, to find evidence of additional papers and significant decorative archaeology was a joy. It further enhances our understanding not just of the building but those who used it.”