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Conservation of a Tudor ceiling at Hampton Court Palace

The conservation team investigated the magnificent ceiling of the Wolsey Closet at Hampton Court Palace.

The exact date and origin of the ceiling are a mystery. For many years, it was thought to be made of a material called leather maché, but it was revealed that this is not the case. In order to conserve this glorious craftwork for another 500 years and choose the best conservation methods, conservators need to know about its history and its condition.

In this film, conservator Amy Anderson explains more about the work.

Conservators investigated the magnificent ceiling of the Wolsey Closet to discover more about how its history and its condition in order to decide how best to conserve it.

The ceiling of the Wolsey Closet is one of the finest examples of Tudor interior design at Hampton Court Palace. The richly decorated ceiling provides a glimpse of what Henry VIII’s private apartments, now mostly demolished, would have originally looked like.

View the details of the ceiling in high definition in this Gigapixel image below.

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As an independent charity we receive no funding from the Government or the Crown. We depend on our visitors, members, donors, volunteers and sponsors to help us. 

Find out how you can support our work at Historic Royal Palaces.

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Listen to the podcast

This is the third part of our mini-series on spaces we love. In this episode, we’ll be joining curator Charles Farris who has chosen to take us on a gentle stroll into a small but rather special Tudor space, hidden away in the depths of Hampton Court Palace. Charles will help us imagine how this space may have witnessed some of the biggest moments in Henry VIII’s reign.

EXPLORE WHAT'S ON

  • Things to see

Wolsey Closet

Explore this hidden Tudor space that is thought to be the only surviving room of Cardinal Wolsey's apartments.

  • Open
  • In line with palace opening hours
  • Hampton Court Palace
  • Included in palace admission (members go free)
Learn more
  • Things to see

Great Hall

Experience the splendour of the Tudor court in Henry VIII's Great Hall, complete with his magnificent tapestries.

  • Open
  • Hampton Court Palace
  • Included in palace admission (members go free)
Learn more
  • Things to see

Council Chamber

Experience history in the making in one of the most private spaces in the Tudor palace of Hampton Court.

  • Open
  • Hampton Court Palace
  • Included in palace admission (members go free)
Learn more