ABSTRACT
The National Trust (for Places of Historic Interest and Natural Beauty) faces conservation problems not commonly met by museums and galleries. One of the responsibilities of this charitable organisation is to care for the fixtures, fittings and decorative contents of 230 or so historic buildings, allowing objects to be displayed in context, rather than by date, type or material as often occurs in museums. This varied collection includes approximately 500 tapestries (see Chapter 18) found in various locations throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The National Trust policy paper Historic Buildings: The Conservation of their Contents states that, ‘the appearance of a conserved object must not be such as to render it out of key with other objects or the decorative scheme of a room or building … the Trust’s general philosophy is one of minimum intervention, providing always that this approach is consistent with preservation. Wherever possible, original materials and components are preserved, with minimal repair where necessary.’ 1
