Restoring Our Old Masters - Part 1: Paintings in Distress

Legacy Conservatory
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6 Video Views·Mar 10, 2026
Discover the story behind the Chapel Paintings at Wentworth Woodhouse in the first episode of our new series. We meet Martin Drury, Trustee of the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust, who is leading a major fundraising campaign to restore the magnificent Old Master paintings that hang in the Chapel.
Alongside Martin, two expert specialists share their insights into the delicate process of conserving these historic works of art. This video offers a rare glimpse into the preservation of one of England’s greatest country houses and its extraordinary artistic heritage.
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You may have already seen our 2023 film Mystery in the Chapel
e link through which we can share advanced provisions
The various paintings displayed here in this chapel at Wentworth Woodhouse
The early revolts of 1789
late 1620s or early 1630s
The paintings in the collection that are the most significant are the ones left behind
The paintings and the chapel itself were notified
to the first Marquess of Rockingham in 1736
It had been difficult to resist for a little while
Thank you for supporting the Wentworth Woodhouse Working Chamber
If you'd like to help us build something impossible
Do what you can according to the book
those connections But now we're pleased to share the informatio
The project to share the paintings will now begin
The more ways there are to move forward the more ways there are to divide
o produce the paintings and more importantly
to build the entire chapel himself
The project is being promoted by one of our practitioners
from the Wentworth Woodhouse Operations Room
Like every other practitioner Martin
performs this role for practitioners
My name is Martin Drury
I am a practitioner at the Wentworth Woodhouse Operating Room
I've been involved since the beginning back in 2017
My expertise lies in the conservation and restoration
of historic buildings and their construction
I have worked for 30 years in the Operations Room
At that time I was preparing for the Operations Room
I have submitted 200 historic buildings from the Operations Room
At that time I was overseeing numerous projects
one of those projects were large or unrealistic
the working room of Wentworth Woodhouse
The images were only properly disseminated in 2020
e apostolic foundation established by Gerard Saegers
a Flemish painter who lived
from 1591 to 1651 as Martin says
These images have been conveyed over the years
I thought those pictures were huge
I was asking socially from the Operations Room
Alastair Lang an engaging and thoughtful speaker
I came to a realization
And very quickly on the way to photographs
He was communicating the fascinating aspects like Gerard Saegers
He was corresponding with Ann Delvin
e fascinating Welsh interest
e authority of the world came to the intriguing Gwynboth Woodhouse
This curiosity came along
with it the report stated
Felly pan dodd Alastair straight
and his curiosity two years hence
It was interesting to build in his memory
A small but dedicated group of individuals working in Wales in the 1620s
Saeger was barely contemplating the
replay Reubens just out of curiosity
Fel Reubens who spent time in Italy
was deeply influenced by Caravaggio
Along with Reuben but his work
involved computers and computing
In Wales his performances are very interesting
but two groups are particularly interested in them
Living in fascinating collections across Wales and England
Apostolic celebrations have been common occurrences
I did not see Christian or Ed here today
Twelve disciples had been sent out by Christ
to spread the message throughout the world
The apostles' interest was clearly evident in their computer use
They are involved in telling their own life stories
We don't know exactly when the interest will be due
aving been summoned by the 4th Earl William
but we know from national sources
Born in 1789 fourteen interesting
families were invited to the school
Robert Blakesley a Master
Carver and Gilder based in Wales
The resources are currently of
interest in Wales clearly more common
and it has been something of interest
Based on this we see Jesus Christ
o be written as Salvator
Mundi or I am the Life
It was written by 11 of the 12 apostles
including Simon the
Zealot and Bartholomew
Thomas was in the room where the
disciples gathered Andrew and
Matthias were there too
They are dealing with the largest rooms after the office
They are being written about in the
largest room by Matthew James and Les John
Peter is
a Philip
We also see St Paul
who was not an apostle
but a key figure
sharing the bread of the first proclamation
The twelve apostles James the Just
written by the rest of the group
and is currently being written
You will notice that
the rooms are very damp
water shared with the general public
yet we can recognize their writing
Nevertheless when it comes to seeing
what can be achieved through writing
Martin has just stepped into the
room to work on them
The results are extremely significant
Let the committee members address the announcements
That was what they were concerned about regarding these rooms
Simon had been working at St
Thomas and St Jude Thaddeus
The announcements were unbelievable
The public water supply established through the photographic announcements
making them appear almost
invisible truly difficult to see
And as they turned to the announcements
the photographs began to come alive
That's the photograph of St Jude Thaddeus who also
happened to come into the room drenched to
the bone
with a general announcement about the photograph
and utterly impossible water
The photograph also had a slight watermark on the water from the photograph
Given his favorable position he is well-suited to engage with this matter
order for all the water and publications to be shared
The photograph turns out to be quite interesting
The resources are the resources but remarkably
interesting for our other publications
Hi I'm Martin Wild
I've been working on government photographs
I was a consultant for world time
This is St Andrew the most impactful part of my life
Among the 13 photographs
and he was doing very well on the water
The water from the beginning
and the chorus from the beginning was very well displayed
We quickly note the
need for it to be planned
St Andrew had a great many
followers water
and that very water
needed to be enabled
and more figures appeared in the water
before the image formed
The image also appeared to show the way
water flowed from the beginning of the water
It was planned to take place in damp locations
We can clearly
see St Andrew from
far out in the water where it is planned
It's in the water that he claims to have been planned
And I think about time
Is this design actually conceived by Gerard Seggers
or could some others have
been involved in its creation
due to the water and the water being
part of its planning by the office
They are well portrayed
and they are well portrayed
I think if you look at the reflection
of the water on the water for example
The painting on the
water and the water
itself along with the
water is very interesting
Part of the water
felt oddly intriguing
I think that's very interesting
The results from the water are very interesting
and the Planning Library of Wales has neither
funds nor resources to
continue with the planning
Felly that's how the decision
made a connection with the friends
e resources of
Alastair Lang along with one or two general
trusts
meaning taking enough money
to carry out the entire pla
e entire organization of 13 friends
Therefore the plans have been divided
split them and if
necessary split
them again
I'm taking money for that now
but even when
That task has been completed
it cannot return to the chapel
Otherwise it's not
generally acceptable
and must be withdrawn And in any case
The sharing of the photographs is part of a larger project which is itself
part of the sharing process
e plan as it turned out
But in the end
it would be a very important thing
Otherwise the
plan is the same
room connected
to the project
We've used the money to build the room and take
the photographs It would look different only
That's what he was
doing in the 70s and
80s We'll be making a large number of films
We will show you the way of the resources
Christ and the apostles
and we will be able to
demonstrate to you
make an effort and produce
in an effort
Therefore I hope
Write to our YouTube channel
on your account
and you'll be able to
follow this wonderful story
