Conserving the house at Tyntesfield

Workers moving furniture in the house

In 2002, Tyntesfield was saved by your contributions, the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund. Now, the National Trust team onsite are working every day to conserve the house and its historic collection.

Conservation cleaning

Throughout the year, Tyntesfield's conservation assistants work to ensure the house's Victorian interiors, furniture and collection are properly cared for.

This involves careful cleaning with specialist equipment as any build up of dirt or dust can cause historic items and interiors to become damaged.

Close view of part of carved armchair, late 18th century, giltwood and gesso, from the Drawing Room at Ickworth

Think like a bug and win the battle against household insect pests 

Insects are essential to our ecosystem, indoors and out, but not so welcome when flying out of wardrobes or eating your favourite woolly jumper or carpet. What can you do? Hilary Jarvis, one of the National Trust’s Assistant National Conservators, shares some tips based on the latest findings and methods used in our historic houses to protect our collections, and reveals the most common pests of 2021.

A conservator carefully cleaning a portrait of Antony Gibbs
Conservator at Tyntesfield cleaning a portrait of Antony Gibbs
A conservator carefully cleaning a portrait of Antony Gibbs

Preventing light damage

A lot of Tyntesfield's historic interiors, furniture and collection are very sensitive to light and can deteriorate if they are exposed to it.

To prevent this from happening, the house team carefully monitor the light levels in every room and adjust the window blinds accordingly.

Our conservation assistants carefully monitor the light levels in the house
A National Trust Conservation Assistant measures the light levels in a room of Tyntesfield house
Our conservation assistants carefully monitor the light levels in the house

Restoring textiles

Our volunteer textile team are trained in restoring historic textiles.

Currently, they are working to restore the curtains from the Organ Room, which have become fragile due to light damage.

Carefully restoring a historic curtain that had sustained light damage
One of Tyntesfield's conservation volunteers works on restoring a historic curtain
Carefully restoring a historic curtain that had sustained light damage

Conservation in the outdoors

As well as caring for the house and its historic collections, the team at Tyntesfield are also working to conserve the gardens and wider estate.

You can find out more about a recent conservation project to preserve the woodland at Tyntesfield, and across Bristol, here.