Skillington Workshop » Sculpture and decorative arts

Skillingtons Project Shortlisted as 2025 AABC Conservation Awards: Regional Finalist!

December 31, 2024 by Elizabeth Blood in Building, News, Sculpture and decorative arts 0 comments

Leighton Buzzard Market Cross Skillingtons recent conservation of the Leighton Buzzard market cross has been shortlisted as a Regional Finalist for a Civic Trust Award. Project Architect, Rena Pitsilli-Graham, nominated the work. The 2025 AABC Conservation Awards are for “projects which demonstrate the highest standards of historic building conservation”. Following a period of decline, in which stone decay and falls, plant growth, and build-up of pollution and dirt had become a major problem, the Leighton Buzzard Townlands Trustees in association with an Architect, Rena Pitsilli-Graham, commissioned research, surveys, scientific analysis and trials to inform a specification of repair works. It was seen that previous repair works had failed, stonework was decaying, and the accumulation of pollutants and biological growth had begun to affect the structure. Trustees then engaged Skillingtons to examine the condition of the carved stonework and subsequently commissioned them to carry out the specified cleaning and repairs to the whole structure, including its fragile sculptures, original vaulted ceiling, its steps and railings. Skillingtons’ Alan Micklethwaite also produced new carved stonework for the repairs. Being a Regional Finalist means that the project has been selected as a scheme that has “demonstrated a significant standard of historic […]

The Monson Monument (1625) by Nicholas Stone at South Carlton, Lincolnshire

October 18, 2024 by Elizabeth Blood in News, Sculpture and decorative arts, Uncategorized 0 comments

Since 2011, Skillingtons has been checking the large 1625 monument by Nicholas Stone in the Monson Mausoleum at the Grade I listed St John the Baptist Church in South Carlton, Lincolnshire. Back in 2015-16, a report was commissioned on the condition of the monument, including the results of paint analysis and repeated surveys. The Mausoleum (by Watkins, of 1897-98) was restored by the family in 2009. It forms an integral part of the church building, and the Sir John and Lady Monson monument now stands within it. It is a large and elaborate free -standing canopied six-poster structure in alabaster, with two life-size effigies recumbent upon a chest below, and eight smaller kneeling figures along three sides. The monument is constructed of well over 170 individual stone pieces, and has a brick structure behind the canopy as well as a core (probably of brick) to the chest tomb. In May 2024, some limited conservation works began. This included cleaning the canopy in situ and checking its stability, dusting and cleaning the recumbent effigies and base of the tomb, assessing the surrounding ledges for stability, addressing previously failed repairs, and focusing attention on the kneeling figures […]

Woolwich mosaics

December 06, 2014 by Tony in Sculpture and decorative arts 0 comments

St. George’s church, Woolwich, opposite the Royal Artillery barracks, was built in 1863 in an early Christian-Italian Romanesque style with elaborate internal decoration including mosaics and cladding in a variety of decorative stones. A Venetian glass mosaic of St George and the dragon was installed by Antonio Salviati around 1870, but variations in tesserae shape and placement between this and other mosaics on the site suggest that decorative work may have been completed in phases. The church was gutted during the Second World War when hit by a bomb, and has been preserved since as a ruin and as a memorial. Its condition has been deteriorating for many years and a major project is currently underway, led by the Heritage of London Trust Operations to provide a new Glulam roof structure, consolidate the wall heads, improve the presentation, and to carry out phase 1 of the conservation and partial restoration of the interiors. With much of the surviving mosaic decoration already removed in panels by others, in late 2014 Skillingtons won by competitive tender the contract for the conservation and reinstatement of the removed panels, and the in situ repair of the mosaics in the apse. This is […]

Skillingtons win important contract for the National Trust

May 06, 2014 by Tony in Sculpture and decorative arts 0 comments

Skillingtons win important contract for the National Trust Skillingtons have won by competitive tender the contract for the refurbishment of three towers at Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire, working directly for the National Trust. Starting work just before Easter, we are working in close liaison with our friend and master plasterer Jeff Orton, with our own master plasterer Philip Gaches heading the team on site. We are carrying out extensive repairs to the 16th century plasterwork including running in missing sections of cornice and modelling to missing fragments of decorative plaster overmantles. We are also carrying out extensive patching to the historic gypsum plaster floors, and decorating the three rooms on completion.

The Lion Terrace at Harlaxton Manor

May 06, 2014 by Tony in Sculpture and decorative arts 0 comments

The Lion Terrace at Harlaxton Manor Skillingtons have had a long working relationship with Harlaxton Manor near Grantham – which is part of the US University of Evansville. A major programme of repairs to the Lion Terrace and Culpin Bank to the rear of the main building had been commenced by another contractor in 2009. When they went into administration at Easter 2010 the completion of the project, which is grant-aided by English Heritage, went out to tender again and this time we were successful in winning the contract. It is never easy picking up from where somebody else left off and nobody takes any pleasure in witnessing another firm getting into difficulties so this has been a difficult job to get to grips with. However, now that we have been on site for several weeks the jigsaw is unravelling and areas of the site have started to be handed over to the client. It is expected that the contract will be complete in late 2010 or early 2011, depending on stone supply and the weather.

St John’s Church Hackney & Others

January 06, 2009 by Tony in Sculpture and decorative arts 0 comments

St John’s Church Hackney & Others Skillingtons are currently due to commence an autumn and winter programme of monument conservation at All Saint’s, Alrewas; St Michael’s, Broome; St Andrew’s Langford; St Margaret’s, Sotterley and St John’s, Hackney. We first looked at the Urswyck Chapel at St John’s; Hackney in 2003 and subsequently presented a report for the Parish with our recommendation for their conservation. St John’s suffered from a significant fire in 1955 and at this time the monuments were restored. Sadly the techniques involved in the restoration of the monuments and the Urswyck Chapel itself have had adverse affects upon them especially that of the floor mounted monument to Christopher Urswyck d.1522 which was entirely repainted in oil paint. Part of the conservation of this monument will be the careful removal of this paint layer to reveal the stone and any original polychrome.