MEDIEVAL WALL PANELS CONSERVED AT
WEALD & DOWNLAND OPEN AIR MUSEUM
WEST SUSSEX

Five decorated wall panels from a medieval house at Sellinge, Kent have been conserved by the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum in West Sussex, England's leading museum of historical buildings.

The clay panels were discovered in 15th century Talbot House when it was dismantled from the site of the Channel Tunnel rail link. Union Railways (South) Ltd, who is building the link, is funding the re-erection of the house on a new site in Kent, and have also funded the conservation work on the panels. They were donated to the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum at Singleton, Chichester, West Sussex for study and display.

The panels are decorated with swirling comb designs typical of those used on wall panels in houses of that period. They were carefully removed from their original position and transported to the Museum's new Downland Workshop for conservation by Dana Goodburn Brown and Maureen Lovering.

Museum director Richard Harris said: "We are particularly pleased to have had the opportunity to conserve these panels, which will join others we have restored in the Museum's expanding collection of historic buildings and building parts. Their rescue will enable researchers to study them in the Museum's new open-access store."

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The award winning Weald & Downland Open Air Museum has over 45 historic exhibits from town and country and is designated by the Government for the outstanding importance of its collections. Exhibits include a medieval farmstead; a working watermill producing stoneground flour; exhibitions focusing on traditional building techniques and agriculture; historic gardens and farm livestock. The Museum runs a well-established and much sought-after programme of courses in building conservation and rural crafts. There is a cafe which uses the Museum's own produce and a Museum shop with gifts and books on countryside and building themes.

NOTE TO EDITORS

Reporters and photographers are welcome at the Museum. For further information contact Operations Director Gail Kittle
Tel: 01243 811481
Fax: 01243 811475
Email: gkittle@wealddown.co.uk.

[Back to News Archive]