In addition to the work on the cartoons, there was a much need lighting overhaul across most of these rooms. Light damage is just one of what we call the “Ten Agents of Deterioration”, probably our most common problem, and the easiest for the public to see. In years gone by, before the invention of the halogen bulb, large windows were the only effective way to bring in light that didn’t involve candles. Now though, the conservation team are regularly dealing with the impact of light damage.
In the Ballroom particularly, you can see the toll it has taken over the years, especially on the day bed. Whilst our mesh blinds keep out most of the harmful light and UV it is still something that must be monitored and as soon as the house closes we try to get the blinds down as quickly as possible to reduce the amount of light coming in. Even in the King’s Room where there is no natural light we still want the lights off as quickly as possible. Regardless of how carefully we monitor, there is always going to be residual light coming through somewhere and as such you may see our little dosimeters placed on some of our most vulnerable furniture. The central strip of blue you can see is the test area and when they are checked, the plastic covering is removed. If light damage were to be bad, this blue strip should have faded whilst the border that would have been behind plastic should be as it was when it was put in. It is a cheap and effective way to assess the extent of the damage.