9 - Conservation of the Funeral Achievements

Summary

Unsurprisingly, the proposed re-display of Henry V’s funeral achievements within the new Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries in Westminster Abbey necessitated a major review of the condition and stability of the achievements well in advance of their being moved, including a re-examination of the old display mounts and fixings with a view to improving them. As part of this process, carried out prior to the re-display, aspects of repair and conservation, both past and recent, were studied, the history of each object was investigated, and conservation and curatorial input was brought in from outside the Abbey as and when necessary. Conservation treatment, if deemed necessary, was undertaken by specialists working on site at the Abbey. By employing painstaking mechanical and solvent-based treatment methods under high magnification, it was possible to clean the ancient surfaces without risk of damage to their structural integrity, thereby revealing previously obscured surface decoration and permitting conservators and curators to assess and identify historic and recent materials, including rarely surviving areas of decoration. Mapping of deterioration, structural damage, corrosion of metal and surface loss of paint, gilding, wood and textile, was carried out for each object, including a scrutiny of previous repairs and treatments undertaken over the centuries, most recently in the 1970s and in 2012. The value of in-depth investigation and collaboration by art historians, scientists and conservators was paramount in enabling more accurate information to be gathered, as well as informing conservators about the most appropriate treatments and environmental conditions for future display. Finally, when it came to devising and installing the revised mounts, conservators worked closely with the design and technical teams involved in implementation of the new display.

The objective was to ensure that each object was sufficiently stable to permit its safe display in the new environment of the Galleries, and to ensure continuing long-term survival in that location. All four artefacts have experienced an eventful past over hundreds of years, and wear and degradation has occurred resulting in losses, repairs and alterations. However, partly counteracting this, episodes of repair and conservation have occurred at intervals throughout their existence.