The English Heritage Podcast Episode 26 - Rescuing England’s largest collection of rare wall paintings
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Sep 24, 2019 
Rachel Turnbull, a Senior Collections Conservator, and Stephen Brindle, a Senior Properties Historian, dive into the fascinating world of England's largest collection of historic wall paintings. They discuss the delicate nature of these artworks and the urgent five-year conservation plan aimed at preserving them across 76 sites. From the impact of the Reformation on painted imagery to the ongoing challenges like water damage, hear how experts are working tirelessly to safeguard these cultural treasures for future generations.
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Wall Paintings' Fragility
- Wall paintings are highly fragile and reliant on their building's condition for survival.
- They represent only a tiny fraction of what originally existed, unlike portable art forms.
Fix Causes Before Conserving
- Assess causes of damage to historic wall paintings before making conservation decisions.
- Fix structural or environmental causes of decay first to protect the paintings long term.
Historical Context Affects Survival
- Artists and patrons historically focused on their lifetimes, not centuries ahead.
- Religious shifts like the 16th-century Reformation led to deliberate whitewashing but ironically preserved many medieval wall paintings.