The Church of St James the Great

The recent history of the painting scheme has been marked by repeated cycles of paint flaking and loss, followed by restoration and re-restoration. The inherent vulnerability of the original painting techniques to the past rainwater infiltration events are the inescapable factors behind these unfortunate interventions. This combination of circumstances has left an indelible impact on the painting scheme, immensely complicating the task of preserving it. During the current conservation programme, every effort has been made to escape the cycles of short-term treatment and re-treatment of the last few decades.

Nevertheless, given the extremely deteriorated and susceptible condition of the painting scheme before its treatment, some paint flaking can be expected to re-emerge.

This, however, should be minor and confined compared to previous deterioration. The collected evidence of the pre-conservation investigations indicated that during periods when the fabric has been dry, ongoing paint loss was primarily related to the precariousness of pre-existing areas of flaking rather than to any new causes or activation mechanisms of deterioration. The flaking paint has now been secured, and the conditions that gave rise to this problem are no longer active. The painting remains vulnerable, however, and the following measures and considerations are advised:

Environmental conditions:

Although no environmental data has been collected and assessed, it is likely that ambient conditions are not ideal. While the undamaged painting on the north side of the apse is evidently resistant to any adverse fluctuations in temperature and humidity that may be occurring, the south side of the apse will always be more susceptible. It is probable, for example, that relative humidity fluctuates in response to heating, which is intermittent and intensive. Such fluctuations could activate paint flaking. Therefore, it is advisable to discontinue heating the apse so that such fluctuations are minimised. As a general rule, dramatic environmental fluctuations should also be avoided in the rest of the building.

 Maintenance:

The condition of the wall painting scheme is dependent on regular monitoring and maintenance of the exterior fabric and drainage facilities. As the past rainwater infiltration events seem to have occurred via the window openings, these especially need to be maintained. The outer glazing to one of the windows on the south side of the apse is broken and should be replaced. It is essential that liquid water does not penetrate the apse again.