42 BCD SPECIAL REPORT ON HISTORIC CHURCHES 32nd ANNUAL EDITION features. We observed this with the blue decorations on the windows, where the same design required adjustments for spacing and height differences. Although these modifications may go unnoticed once finished, they demand skilled adaptation from the painters. The next step Our recommended approach seeks to return the chapels and ambulatories to their condition before the 1894 modifications, capturing a historical moment that reflects Pugin’s vision and that of his contemporaries—restoring not just decoration but also the artistic and cultural importance of the cathedral’s early history. The guiding criteria for the intervention are: • making decisions based on evidence while avoiding false attributions • recovering early decoration where possible • respecting all original material. A two-phase approach has been proposed and is currently being implemented. The first phase focuses on exposing and conserving original decorative areas to keep them visible as visual and material evidence. The areas were selected to be as representative as possible. These ‘paint windows’ are conserved to ensure they are stable and legible, allowing them to be displayed and appreciated by church visitors. The information provided by these areas of original decoration, together with the research conducted beforehand, forms the foundation for the second phase of the proposal. The second phase involves reinstating decoration across the remaining areas, following the colours and designs of the exposed original paint windows. For this redecoration we will not remove all the previous layers of paint that tell the building’s decorative history; instead, we will preserve them below the new paintwork, maintaining the possibility that if new analyses, techniques, and assessments emerge in the future, the church can be treated in a different way. FINAL THOUGHTS Both examples share similarities: solid colours with stencilled details, monograms surrounded by floral elements, friezes with Latin inscriptions, stone architectural features painted to mimic stone with gold accents, and the iconic starry blue ceilings. A notable difference lies in the level of decoration and the saturation of surfaces. This Uncovering work in progress at St Barnabas Cathedral to discover how much of Pugin’s scheme had survived: left, original decoration around an arch in the north ambulatory; and right, original blue floral design around arches of the three east chapels Paint window (left) exposing original decoration in the Lady Chapel and (right) a digital reconstruction of the scheme. (All photos: Cliveden Conservation ) variation could stem from many factors, not necessarily Pugin’s aesthetic preferences, but also the size of the interior to be decorated and the available economic resources. The permanence of decoration in each instance has been shaped by use. The privately owned chapel, now a historic monument, is regarded as one of the finest examples of Pugin’s decorative style, having undergone few modifications and arguably remaining practically as Pugin originally designed it. The cathedral, which is continually used for public worship, has been influenced by changing liturgical and aesthetic trends and has undergone several alterations that have significantly transformed its original design. It is also important to note that, in the case of the chapel, we possess historical documentation confirming that the designs were genuinely Pugin’s, whereas, in the case of the cathedral, such documentation is limited; none of his sketches have been located. The investigation and conservation of Pugin’s painted decoration offer more than aesthetic revival; they provide insight into the religious, technical, and ideological aspects of his work. Both projects reflect broader questions about authenticity, historical layers, and the challenges of conservation and restoration ethics. They also emphasise the ongoing relevance of Pugin’s ideals: decoration is not frivolous but sacred, not optional but essential, when it is grounded in meaning. As conservation work progresses, these two sites will remain vital case studies, not only as exemplary representations of Pugin’s legacy but also as reflections of how, from our current historical perspective, we are interpreting, safeguarding and passing on that legacy. Recommended readings AW PUGIN, Glossary of Ecclesiastical Ornament and Costume: Compiled and Illustrated from Ancient Authorities and Examples. H.G. Bohn Publisher. London, 1844. AW PUGIN, Some Remarks on the Articles Which Have Recently Appeared in the “Rambler”, Relative to Ecclesiastical Architecture and Decoration. Charles Dolman Publisher. London, 1850. ANA LOGREIRA is senior conservator of decorative arts at Cliveden Conservation where she develops wall painting and decorated architectural surfaces projects. She led the projects of Drummond Chapel and St Barnabas Cathedral.
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