ABSTRACT
Standing in the Needlework Room at Wallington Hall, you are surrounded by intricately embroidered textiles, some set within tall rococo frames. Since 1755 they have been on permanent and open display here in this domestic interior. To ensure their future, and address the particular challenges of managing change, the National Trust, over four decades, has adopted, developed and applied preventive conservation measures to their buildings and collections. Each is different, but the agents of decay – including light, relative humidity, biological agents and dust – are omnipresent. By applying a systemized form of risk management which blends science and traditional housekeeping methods, active deterioration can be slowed down and mitigated. This case study, concentrating on the collection of embroidered textiles worked by Julia Calverley, discusses examples of such procedures, including monitoring, recording and day-to-day preventive conservation care, and demonstrates how these methods can be applied to other textile collections.
