Sited in Boston’s Town centre is the now, Boston Guildhall Museum. The building dates back to the late 14th century, and so, bringing with it, a wealth of history. To visit and learn more about the building click here to go to the website.
We have carried out various work here including architectural paint research (APR), conservation cleaning of the historic painted beams in the Court Room, the conservation cleaning of the carved heads in the Banquetting Room and finally, the application of a pollard oak woodgraining finish in the Court Room.
Individuals were led from their cells to the court room up through a ballustraded portal where they were presented for trial. Once proceedings had completed they then descended again back to the cells below.
The Court Room has later additions of lower wall panelling, window shutters and doors that were all to be given a traditional pollard oak woodgrained finish. Below is an overview of the woodgraining in the Court Room.
The Court Room Woodgraining
All areas to be woodgrained were prepared and a ground colour applied (see below left), this colour provides the background to the woodgraining. The scumble is applied on top of the ground colour, the scumble is then manipulated to create the desired effect using a variety of tools and brushes. Below middle and right are examples of the woodgrain detail being added to the shutter panels.
Both sides of all doors and shutters were woodgrained. Typically the panels are woodgrained first followed by the stiles and rails.
Below is a selection of completed panels ,doors and shutters.
This oak woodgraining was carried out using traditional oil based materials. When required we hand mix the paints and scumbles to match an historic finish. This approach allows for a faithful reproduction an historic finish. However, it has to be understood that a woodgrainer has their own hand, their work is unique. We can match the colours exact, we can try and follow a woodgrainer’s style but some woods, such as pollard oak, are random in their appearance so we have to fill in the gaps when we are reinstating an historical finish.
