Fireplace Archaeology II !

Following on from my previous blog entry, I finally started scraping away at the layers of paint on the reclaimed fireplace I had bought on eBay. The aim was to find out its history. The fact that sections of an expensive red marble lay under a layer of black paint was puzzling and indicated that it had a more flamboyant and more expensive past. :-)

Anyhow I chose two flat sections of the fireplace to start scraping. One was on the left hand jamb, and the other was in the corresponding position on the right-hand jamb. Removing an initial square centimetre of black paint from each, showed both had the same red marble underneath. I couldn't resist completing the sections. At least if revealing all the marble proved too much work,  working on these two smaller sections would result in a symmetric end result.

The section on the left jamb revealed the expected and attractive speckled marble pattern.

section of expensive marble revealed on left-hand jamb

The section on the right jamb revealed a much plainer patch of an orange/red colour. I did not expect this. Perhaps there were variations in the marble's patterning? The odd thing was that two layers of paint seemed to have come off this jamb. The black layer on top, and then a browny layer underneath. In fact, the brown layer had half stayed on and half come off, so I scraped away vigorously at the remaining brown areas, but all the colour seemed to disappear and I ended up with the grey of .... slate! Was the expensive marble just a paint effect - surely not - it was so hard, glossy and authentic looking.

something not quite right is revealed in same area on right-hand jamb

The only solution was to start scraping at a hidden surface, where I could do no damage, at an area that was unambiguously the expensive marble. To my shock a top "pock-marked" purple layer came off, and then an underlying bright red layer came off, before I finally came to the slate.

revealed - marble is actually a sophisticated multi-layered paint effect!

This was nothing less than an incredibly sophisticated, multi-layer and convincing marble effect. A red coat was applied, then the piece was dipped, I would suggest, in a purple oil-based paint laced with water droplets - in a similar manner to marbling paper. The resulting effect was a myriad of red splodges showing through, just like a naturally occurring mineral.

I have seen sections of various painted marbles in the V&A from Victorian times and they are utterly convincing. In fact there was even a society of marble painters. And this paint effect marble on my own fireplace had me totally fooled until I did the scraping.

This begs the question of what do I do now to the fireplace? I am quite tempted to leave these red sections to show the history. Should I try to reveal any more? The grey painted marble roundel in the cross piece is so obviously wrong that I will definitely return this to the original black, so the gold painted carvings will show up advantageously. Apart from this and just restoring a deep black where required, I may just leave alone. 

However, the mystery of its past has been solved. Much of the fireplace had been originally painted in a vivid red faux marble that would have contrasted marvellously with the black slate and gold-inlaid carvings. It would have been simply stunning, and if only I had the ability to do this paint effect again. These Victorian skills, I fear, are now largely lost to us. 

However, tastes change and a later generation must have considered the bold Victorian effect vulgar, and the whole thing was toned down, but with considerably less art and much less skill. The red marble was painted over because, one presumes, it was known to be "just" a paint effect. There is much Philistinism, where the destruction of art and beauty masquerades as improvement.

Fireplace Archaeology!

fireplace arrives home - note cats-cradle strapping!

Every so often, I check though eBay for replacement architectural antiques for Balintore Castle. The wise advice I was given, early on, was to collect slowly and cheaply, for surely if you want a grand Victorian fireplace in a hurry it's going to cost you an arm and a leg. There is a huge difference in price between a polished-up antique marble fireplace in a high-end dealer's showroom, and one that is a little worse for wear, and that someone wants rid of quickly during building works to their home. In short don't pass up any opportunity, it may not occur later.

Anyhow, a fireplace turned up on eBay recently. The pictures showed that although the bits of the fireplace were covered in pigeon poo, there was something intriguing about it. The seller was unable to say whether the fireplace was slate or marble. The scale of the fireplace (it is a bit of a beast) suggested it should be marble. Slate fireplaces are for the less well-off, so are generally smaller. The principle goes that if someone could afford a large fireplace, then they could afford marble. However, the grey marble panels looked painted on because the marbling pattern was a little "soft". There was a limit to what I could discern from the low-res photos, but for £100 it was worth a punt. :-) The original fireplaces at Balintore were marble rather than slate, but the design of this fireplace was something special that I had not seen before, so on the principle of going for quality items I felt that it was immaterial whether slate or marble.

After winning the item, I turned up with my pick-up at the village of Great Alne. The seller Steve was really friendly and explained the fireplace was found lying in his old mill building. The previous owner of the mill had never gone through with his plan to restore the building, but had left architectural antiques lying around. Steve and a friend kindly loaded the fireplace onto my pick-up and wouldn't let me help. I had explained previously that I am recovering from back surgery and shouldn't lift more than 5 lbs!  Steve's family plied me with two cups of tea and three Kit-Kats while this was going on. Having been through nightmares with some individuals on eBay, it makes encountering genuinely lovely people a real pleasure.

I had a brief examination of the mantle shelf with Steve, and concluded that it was slate rather than marble. There was a shiny black coating that was coming off in parts, revealing a matt grey finish underneath. The wall side of the mantle shelf was also a slate grey colour. There would be no coating on a marble fireplace - just polish! Steve handed me one piece that had come detached from the fireplace - the "cushion support" a flat piece that goes on top of the leg, directly under the mantle shelf. Suddenly I was in shock, a surface that would have been hidden revealed a beautiful bright red marble. The bright colours of marble are the most expensive and most posh "rouge marble" is actually just a shade of brown. Yet, this was an unmistakable and vivid red. The pattern even suggested porphyry: a stone even more expensive than marble beloved by the ancient Romans. What was going on? Was the red marble simply an off-cut being used: carved and then painted black by the stonemason? Or perhaps the fireplace once looked totally different with a red, black and gold colour scheme: a colour combination that makes total sense? Sometime in its life perhaps it had been "dulled-down" to fit in with a drab room or someone with drab taste? The rather poor painted grey marbling could support this hypothesis.

hidden surfaces reveal expensive marble underneath

further evidence of expensive red marble

Anyhow, the mystery has not been solved yet. I will do some test-scrapings on the fireplace to reveal what is underneath. If I do find symmetrically placed slabs of red marble on the left and right jambs, then I will be enormously temped to reveal these. In any case it will be a delight to either restore the shiny black finish to the fireplace, or to reveal its former high-class true colours. So far I have just done my best to remove the ground-on pigeon poo as shown in the photographs below.

left jamb before cleaning	left jamb after cleaning
right jamb before cleaning	right jamb after cleaning
mantle and cross-piece before cleaning	mantle and cross-piece after cleaning

just before unloading - only a panorama could fit everything in! 

Scans of Old Photos

I was delighted to come across these amazing high quality photographs of Balintore Castle recently. They are already proving invaluable for the current restoration. 

It looks like the images are very old. There is some efflorescence of the lime below the oriel window but the remainder of the mortar and certainly the gravel paths look "sharp". Given a little time has passed since construction in 1860, I would put the photos between 1870 and 1900

west elevation

 The west elevation image above reveals the missing urns from the entrance door to be still in place. It shows a balustraded rail to the immediate left of the door which is also no longer there. I understand the balusters are in use as garden ornaments all over the surrounding area. :-) Currently there is poor quality grass/mud to the front of the castle, but the rather hard texture suggests there might once have been gravel there. The photograph confirms this, and shows how to put things back as they were originally.

west elevation detail : main entrance door

What particularly grabbed my attention in the above detail of the main entrance, is the marvellous door furniture: a lion's head bell pull and an unusual square brass handle. Someone once described the handle to me as "squarish and like nothing I've seen before" so it has clearly been there in living memory. However, I was not expecting the handle to be quite so plain and un-ornamented. In fact to my eye, the placement of the handle's back plate ( 9" wide × 7 ½ " high) is not quite aesthetic. I am currently investigating getting a replacement back plate made.

west elevation

The west elevation above shows garden paths (now missing); a stone staircase to the north (now missing) and an intact oriel window (now collapsed).

Thanks to Catherine MacIntyre for scanning these in.

Nay, Nay and Thrice Nay

it's official !  (image courtesy of Catherine MacIntyre)

I have just returned from today’s meeting of the Developments Standards Committee
of Angus Council in Forfar. The Councillors voted to either approve or reject the planning department’s recommendation that the Carrach Wind Farm should be constructed next to Balintore Castle.

There were 3 votes for the motion (accept the recommendation) and 9 votes for the amendment (reject the recommendation). In other words, this third attempt to place a wind farm next to the castle has failed. Hurrah!

The vote could have gone either way and at one stage during the meeting I seriously thought the vote was going to go against us. This third planning application is considerably scaled down from the second, and involves 2 shorter turbines instead of 9 taller ones, so I thought the outcome would be at least more in favour of the wind farm than the previous committee meeting where the recommended second application was rejected 2 years ago.

view from Balintore Castle of two wind turbine development recommended by Council

In fact, the margin of victory was even larger than last time and reflects the clear message that emerged at the meeting that the community were against the development (60 letters against, 6 letters for). The community council was against the development. There are also around 100 members of the STOP THE CARRACH WINDFARM Facebook group. A number of Councillors stood up to say they had to reflect the wishes of their constituents. However, a number of Councillors also spoke strongly in favour of the windfarm, so until the vote itself there was no inkling of what the outcome would be.

6 objectors spoke first with a 5 minute slot each. This was followed by a single supporter, who unsurprisingly was the developer! I was second in the objector running order. My main point was that whether there are 2 turbines or 9, it does not matter, the setting of Balintore Castle is still destroyed. I also highlighted the Scottish Government reporter’s conclusion that no wind farms should ever be built on this very special site.

One of the pro Councillors insisted that 2 turbines of half the height would only have one-eighth the impact of 9 taller ones, and that this equated to 0.125 %. :-) If this had been a public meeting, I would have jumped up immediately and pointed out that he was a factor of 100 out. As it was, I permitted myself a smile of wry amusement in a day that was stressfully serious.

I would like to thank everyone who spoke at the meeting in defense of the Quharity Glen; everyone that turned up to show their support; the Councillors who saw reason; and indeed everyone who has been campaigning behind the scenes. The other speakers were much more briefed on their facts than I and were able to give a precise chapter and verse account of where the development breached guidelines. This precise attention to documentation is the way the system operates, and rightly so. For my part, my emotions ran so high regarding the ongoing struggle/war to save Balintore Castle that I could only tell the story from my point of view: that a gross travesty was going to be committed against an A-listed building and that I felt it was wrong, at the very least, that the Council were recommending such a course of action.

I like to construct “thought experiments” to determine the morality of any situation. If Balintore Castle were Balmoral Castle or if I were John Betjeman, then the wind farm would never have got a look in. Is this right or wrong?

As I left the chair after speaking, I almost broke down in tears. Again, after the result of the voting was announced I almost broke down again. Emotional stress always tends to manifest itself after the strain has been removed. The odd thing about a burden being removed is that you do not feel immediately joyful afterwards, because you start to appreciate the weight of the burden that you were under but tried to under-play. I definitely feel "lighter", and the residents of the glen have agreed to find a way to celebrate properly in due course. :-)

Will the developer appeal against the decision again? In the light of what the glen has been through, one can never say “never”, especially in the light of the Council recommending a wind farm for approval even after the Government had said a categorical "no". If you want to help guard against wind farms being put in this beautiful area, there is a petition being run by the local community and it may be signed at the local Farm/Craft Shop - Peel Farm.

Castles Home and Away: Part Five

Dunstaffnage Castle east elevation

Dunstaffnage Castle north elevation

Dunstaffnage Castle south elevation

Dunstaffnage Castle (13th Century) was the most historically significant building visited on my mini-tour of the West Highland coastal castles earlier in the year. It is also one of the very oldest stone castles in Scotland. Unlike the other ruins visited, Dunstaffnage is a "paid attraction", so Andrew and I could explore in safety and without gymnastics. The wall walks give a great high level overview of the castle and how it fits into the landscape. Its location is extraordinary, perched upon an outcrop of rock that seems to emerge from a area of flat ground seemingly from no-where. Andrew was mesmerised by the unexpectedness of this geological marvel. I was more unimpressed "Well that's why they would have built the castle here!".

wall walk panorama 1

wall walk panorama 2

wall walk panorama 3

It was also the most easy building to understand and read, not just from the signage but the extant structure: though we discovered the small exhibition room only after we had done the exploring rather than before. Definitely the wrong way round.

The building is located at the far end of a modern industrial estate: a decidedly unprepossessing approach. Surely we had taken a wrong turning? But once you reach the considerable and attractive grounds of the castle, the magnificent setting of the building, in a natural harbour facing a modern marina, becomes quite apparent.

The rocky outcrop on which the castle was perched, and which entranced Andrew, was clearly some kind of conglomerate rock with rounded boulders and pebbles in a matrix, that was gently eroding.

From the other buildings visited it was clear Dunstaffnage had been pivotal to the history of the area, it was the major fortified building and there were connections with royalty as well as the major clans of the area.

Of the buildings visited, it was the most "Game of Thrones" as with a little imagination you could envisage the complete life of the castle going on around you. At its 15th Century peak, the building had looked stunning with 4 major circular defensive towers round the perimeter. Parts of these towers still exist but not to their former heights, and one had been turned into a 17th Century laird's tower: a significant feature of the building nowadays but not a patch on the 15th Century look and feel. If you wanted a mediaeval castle with full military works this would be the one.

Being a paid tourist attraction somehow tames a building, and I have a preference for the more untamed buildings in the more untamed landscapes. It is, however, definitely worth a visit for its historic significance, and to see a relatively complete "canonical" building of its period against which to just others.

There is a 13th Century Dunstaffnage Chapel in the grounds that Andrew and I almost missed - assuming some extant arches near the castle has been the chapel. Don't be fooled. The actual chapel is quite a walk from the castle, several hundred yards away, and is now to be found hidden in some woods. The construction of the castle and the chapel looks contemporaneous as the same type of Gothic windows in the chapel are to be found in lower parts of the castle walls - perhaps a great hall? What is clear is that Gothic windows in a Scottish building of this date reveal a very classy building indeed.

If you think "Game of Thrones" exaggerates blood-spattering at nuptials, I suggest you read the history of the Dunstaffnage Chapel and about one infamous wedding there.

Dunstaffnage Chapel interior

Dunstaffnage Chapel exterior detail

the well Dunstaffage Castle

Castles Home and Away: Part Four

The most beautiful setting of all the West Highland coast castles visited on our mini-tour was Castle Tioram, dating from the 13th century. I have a penchant for the very old, and like other castles from this period in the area it is largely defined by a stark defensive curtain wall. It is situated on a tidal island, and nestles in a landscape of water, forests and hills. 

As Andrew and I approached along a road that couldn't have been more "minor" if it tried, it was clear we were in an area of outstanding natural beauty though somewhat more sheltered and soft than the unforgiving landscape of the coast beyond. The island had two natural beaches: one sandy and one rocky. Andrew and I climbed all over the island to take in all the angles. The approach form the water would have been particularly impressive, with the castle and a tricky cliff path looming high overhead.

Sadly the building is in a considerable state of disrepair and the entrance was barred from safety considerations. The rock on which the castle is perched is splitting, and over the centuries huge portions have fallen onto the beach. It won't be too long, if left unattended, that sections of the castle itself will come down in future rock falls. Infamously, Historic Scotland, refused Scheduled Monument Consent for the owner's plan to save and develop the building. This is regarded generally as a sorry chapter for Historic Scotland. I have not seen the plans myself to form a judgement, but it was definitely a lost opportunity. This building needs help yesterday for it to survive in any form into the future.

Andrew and I jokingly called the building "Castle Tearoom", as he is partial to tea and scones in country houses, and ironically this building is the very opposite of a developed attraction. We had to pick our way across mud flats to access the building and got rather wet in the process. Exploring the island involved a lot of undignified scrambling: in fact one of the panoramas caught the split-second before Andrew slipped flat on his face.

The building has a powerful presence and for a castle that was simply on our route home, it has now become one of my favourites. 

Castle Tioram's pentagonal curtain wall

the interior - taken through the grill at the entrance

the castle is on the tidal island on the right

view around Tioram

view around Toiram - Andrew fell flat on his face just after this was taken

Tioram panorama from the top of the island

Tioram panorama - starts at 45 degrees to horizon to capture most interesting silhouette

Tioram panorama

vertical Tioram panorama from beach

Castles Home and Away: Part Three

The ruins of Kilchurn Castle (dating from the early 15th century) on the banks of Loch Awe is one of the iconic images of Scotland. It turned out that Kilchurn was on our route to Castle Stalker, so I was able to see one of my favourite castles in the flesh for the first time. Kilchurn in reality is impressive and far larger than the photos suggest, but it is no longer one of my favourite castles for rather complex reasons that I'll conclude on!

Andrew and I failed to find Kilchurn initially, but bumped into some American tourists at St. Conan's Chapel who had already been and were able to give us directions. No wonder we missed it, it is not sign-posted at all and is only visible from the road in fleeting glimpses if you know what you are looking for. Historic Scotland should do better than this: it is an international tourist attraction and a worthy one at that.

The approach is a rather long walk on a single path crossing marsh-land. The defensive advantage is clear. I was determined not to take photos as the building is incredibly photogenic, and others have taken pictures a million times better than my smart phone snaps would ever be. However, I did take some panoramas and angles, just to fix the building and landscape in my memory. The castle in its landscape seems to suit the panorama, and I was delighted by the moody effects achieved with little effort and cheap technology. The broken ruined skyline of Kilchurn is so beautiful,  it was the only castle I thought should not be restored. 

Now having visited, I feel I was wrong. Accommodation inside the building should be restored, there are vast internal spaces which could be brought back to life at the lower levels without disturbing the skyline. On the day I visited, the upper part of the keep's interior was closed off due to health and safety, so we missed the views from the castle and the majority of the keep's accommodation. This is typical of the disappointment on visiting most Scottish castles - there are ruined walls a plenty, but few interior spaces, and those that do exist are not floored or furnished. So the typical tourist gets an impoverished feel for the building as it was. Reusing parts of the building would make it a much more positive experience, and in no way destroy the romance of a ruin. Kilchurn is not the small quaint building I thought it was, it is a vast palace of sufficient scale that it does not suit the ruination in the same way that a smaller scale castle could.

Loch Awe: looking east

Loch Awe: looking west

Andrew: looking down

me: looking down

west elevation

north elevation

east elevation - leaving the castle behind us

the building is bigger than you might think!