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Virgin & Child unveiled
Iconic statue conserved
Newstead Abbey
Conservation work on Newstead Abbey's iconic Virgin and Child statue has been completed.
The sculpture, one of Nottingham City Council's most important cultural assets, has been conserved thanks to the money raised through Newstead Abbey's Adopt-a-Stone appeal and funding from Nottingham City Council.
The statue sits in a niche within the apex of the Abbeys 13th Century West Front and has suffered more decay and weathering over the last 100 years than at any other time during its 700 year history. A covering of organic growth, such as lichen, moss and algae has built up on the rain-washed surfaces causing damage.
Preservation work was vital to ensure that this extremely significant masonry detail was not lost forever.
The work was carried out by Torquil McNeilage of McNeilage Conservation, with the assistance of Carolyn Robinson for Nicholas Durnan the contractor.
Before the conservation works, both the sculpture and niche were cleaned using small hand held nylon brushes and wooden scraping tools. The extensive work which then took place included:
Grouting and mortar repair to sculpture
Weathering had caused the formation of long vertical cracks in the statue, resulting in the loss of important detail. These were gently cleaned before being filled with a fine hydraulic lime-based grout, applied through a syringe and needle. They were then filled with lime mortars - matched in colour and texture to the surrounding stone.
Pinning of fragile areas
Fragile areas of the sculpture were pinned in place to prevent loss, and an area of drapery from the Virgin's waist which had fallen and been recovered by Newstead staff, has been re-attached.
Grouting, mortar & stone replacement to niche
The niche itself has been grouted and the cement on the rear and side walls re-pointed. The apex section of the hood mould had not survived well and so has been replaced with new stone.
Shelter Coat applied to sculpture
To protect the Virgin and Child from attack by frost and water-borne salts, the sculpture has been given a 'shelter coat', that has filled - as far as possible, the very fine cracks that were too small to be mortar repaired.
The West Front has been identified as displaying medieval stonework of the highest order and the conservation work carried out on the niche and statue has stabilised the surface condition and made the stonework and mortar more secure.
Gillian Crawley, General Manager of Newstead Abbey said: "We are overjoyed this incredibly important piece of masonry detail has been conserved. The Virgin and Child sculpture is iconic of the Abbey and the conservation work has ensured its survival".
A programme of maintenance has been put in place to ensure that future repairs that are required will be identified.
Newstead Abbey was the ancestral home of Lord Byron. The West Front inspired the poet and is gloriously remembered in his magnum opus 'Don Juan' and has been a place of inspiration and pilgrimage since Byron's untimely death in 1824.
Virgin & Child after work |
Virgin & Child Before Work  |
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