Support Nunnington Hall's 'hanging by a thread' appeal

Anyone who’s visited Nunnington Hall will have seen these three unique verdure tapestries. They’re part of the history of the house, first brought here by Sir Richard Graham, the 1st Viscount Preston in 1685. Unfortunately they will need to be taken off display if we don’t carry out urgent conservation work to protect them from the damage caused by light and insects.

Two women bent over a rolled up tapestry
  • The tapestries were brought into the house in 1685 by the 1st Viscount Preston
  • We need to raise £208,000 to restore all three tapestries
  • The tapestries need 3985 hours of studio time to repair the damage
Two painted coat of arms

The story of the verdure tapestries at Nunnington Hall 

Save the verdure tapestries and help us to continue to share the story of the 1st Viscount Preston, Richard Graham.

The story so far
" Over time, the tapestries have succumbed to natural wear and tear, including light and insect damage. Since the house came into our care in 1953 we have done all we can to protect them, but they are now in urgent need of repair."
- Iain Kelly, House and Collections Manager

Donate to Support Nunnington Hall's 'hanging by a thread' appeal

Please select an amount

Three pots of thread in dye plus other equipment
£20 will help to pay for the dye used to produce threads that match those of the tapestries undergoing repair
£45 will pay for one hour of studio time with the specialist conservators
Hand working on a tapestry with pins, needle and thread
Two people spraying water on a large tapestry
£120 will help to pay for the wet cleaning of one square metre of fabric
Or enter your own amount
Conservator working in Lab at Textile Conservation Studio

Wolfson Foundation boosts the appeal  

The Wolfson Foundation has awarded a grant of £75,000 to Nunnington Hall’s ‘hanging by a thread appeal’ to safeguard three tapestries which are in urgent need of conservation. The amount will be added to £74,500 which has been secured from gifts left in wills, as well as donations from visitors to the house and other supporters. The money received from Wolfson brings the total that has been secured up to £149,500 which means conservation work can begin on the first two tapestries.

More about the donation

Why give to the National Trust?

As a charity, we are dedicated to conserving our nation’s natural and human history so that it can be enjoyed for generations to come. Our conservation projects range from preserving the historic buildings in our care to protecting the plants and wildlife found in outdoor spaces. Your donation will allow us to act quickly, wherever the need is greatest at this special place, and do vital conservation work.

Fundraising Regulator
Donate now and help to repair Nunnington Hall’s three verdure tapestries