Roof Angel 4A
Skills and Techinques Summary
Nine medieval wooden roof angels were discovered in St Edith's Church in Grimoldby, Lincolshire and sent to the University of Lincoln for treatment. Two angels will be completed by MA students each year and there are plans to reinstall the angels in the church once all have been completed. Upon further examination of roof angel 4A and seeing the extensive damage, the treatment plan approved by the Diocese of Lincoln had to be modified.
Due to dry rot and an infestation of deathwatch beetles roof angel 4A was structurally severely weakened and had a highly friable surface. As a result of the fragile state of the surface, it was difficult to determine the extent of damage to the back of roof angel 4A until the front surface could be stabilised.
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Using knowledge of pest contamination to implement pest control measures (the object was frozen for a sufficient period to eradicate any pests).
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Following safety precautions for working with toxic materials such as arsenic.
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Performing extensive testing to determine the most effective treatment course and adapting to changes as they arise
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Using x-ray fluorescence (XRF).
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Conducting tests to establish a suitable adhesive and consolidate to use on the angel so they can withstand reinstallation in the church environment.
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Paying close attention to details.
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Maintaining precision and perseverance.
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Contributing collaboratively to a project.
Before Treatment
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History
It is estimated that 70% of medieval angel roofs are located in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire, which are predominantly East Anglian regions. As a result of roof repairs and the popularity of angel roofs at that time, it is more likely that the St Edith's angels were added in the mid-15th century. These angels differ from most other roof angels because they are heavily stylised and monochromatic. There is evidence on the stumps of angel 4A's feet that they were rough-sawn at some point in the past, possibly due to extreme degradation. It was decided in 2015 to remove the angels from the church roof without taking into consideration the damage that may have been done to the installation context.
During Treatment
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Treatment Completed
I had to continually test materials to find the most appropriate means to conserve the angel. After adhering the surface flakes, the object was carefully cleaned front and back using various methods including vacuuming and dirt removal with a brush and saliva. I discovered that spiderwebs held the mortise joint area in a place with 2cm of frass and dirt underneath. This all had to be removed. As a result of the extensive damage sustained by the deathwatch beetles, the flight holes required treatment. Using a syringe filled with 10% Aquazol 200 in a 1:1 ethanol-to-water ratio, the flight holes were treated.
Based on the amount of wood that was lost during the infestation, the baseboard was not structurally sound to support the reinstallation of the angels in the church's environment. A solution to this problem was found by using West epoxy. To ensure that the epoxy mixture was distributed evenly, the angel was levelled. A total amount of 747.5 grams of West epoxy was added to 4A angel's back. A new nose was created and shaped with a mixture of 20% Paraloid B-72 in toluene in conjunction with phenolic microballoons. The whole angel was sprayed with Aquazol 500 as a protective barrier. Lastly, any areas that were missing flakes or that had been filled in were painted.
