Saving the Murals of St Mary’s: A Journey of Restoration and Preservation
Following significant damage to the wall paintings at St Mary’s Church, Bromley, caused by water ingress and salt deterioration, our team at Arte Conservation carried out a detailed conservation project.
The team began work on a crisp autumn day at St Mary’s, a historic church renowned for its 19th-century wall paintings by Ward & Hughes, designed by Thomas Curtis. The church’s north chancel wall had suffered extensive damage, with several scenes completely lost due to salt efflorescence from prolonged moisture exposure.
The Grade II* listed church, home to remarkable 19th-century murals, had been impacted by faulty rainwater gutters, which were replaced in 2018. The team carried out a comprehensive assessment in 2019 and 2020, identifying the ongoing salt damage. Emergency stabilisation work was then carried out in 2021, including securing flaking areas and removing salt-laden materials. The work revealed that the drying process had worsened the situation, exacerbating the damage to the murals.
In the final stage of conservation, the team cleaned and reconstructed the wall paintings, bringing back the beauty of Thomas Curtis’s designs. The painted paper panels from the ceiling were also treated, with temporary facings applied to prevent further damage until the full conservation work could be completed.
Before and after photograph showing one of the many wall paintings