University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Theses (Historic Preservation) Graduate Program in Historic Preservation 1-1-2007 An Analysis of Wallpaper Fragments in the Red Bedchamber and Cloisters of Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, England. Sarah Vukovich University of Pennsylvania Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses Part of the Historic Preservation and Conservation Commons Vukovich, Sarah, "An Analysis of Wallpaper Fragments in the Red Bedchamber and Cloisters of Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, England." (2007). Theses (Historic Preservation). 91. https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/91 A Thesis in Historic Preservation Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Historic Preservation 2007. Advisor: Gail Caskey Winkler This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/91 For more information, please contact [email protected]. An Analysis of Wallpaper Fragments in the Red Bedchamber and Cloisters of Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, England. Disciplines Historic Preservation and Conservation Comments A Thesis in Historic Preservation Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Historic Preservation 2007. Advisor: Gail Caskey Winkler This thesis or dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/91 AN ANALYSIS OF WALLPAPER FRAGMENTS IN THE RED BEDCHAMBER AND CLOISTERS OF STRAWBERRY HILL, TWICKENHAM, ENGLAND. SARAH VUKOVICH A THESIS In Historic Preservation Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION 2007 _______________________________ ______________________________ Advisor Program Chair Gail Caskey Winkler Frank G. Matero Lecturer in Historic Preservation Professor of Architecture University of Pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to our professor Robin Letellier (1944-2007) whose dedication to Heritage Conservation was an inspiration. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To: My advisor, Gail Caskey Winkler, for her patience and encouragement. My reader, Cassie Myers for her guidance and generous time; Kevin Rogers, for answering endless questions and cooking fabulous meals; Anna Chalcroft, for her patience and unflagging interest in the site; My talented and supportive classmates especially Amanda Casper, Fon Wang, Ashley Hahn, Megan Schmidt, Lauren Hall, whose support and skills helped greatly; to my family, for their love and understanding; And lastly, to Jack, for being wonderfully supportive and loving. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Dedication ii Acknowledgements iii Table of Contents iv List of Figures vii 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 Context 7 2.1 Location 7 2.2 History 8 2.2.1 Introduction to the History 8 2.2.2 Pre-Walpole 9 2.2.3 Walpole 10 2.2.4 Damer 12 2.2.5 Waldegrave 13 2.2.6 de Stern 20 2.2.7 Saint Mary’s College 21 2.3 Lady Waldegrave’s Restoration of Strawberry Hill 26 3.0 Cloister 31 3.1 Location 31 3.2 History of the Cloister 31 3.2.1 Walpole 31 3.2.2 Damer/Waldegrave 37 3.2.3 Strawberry Hill Trust 42 3.3 Description of the Wallpapers 42 3.3.1 Sampling 45 4.0 Red Bedchamber (Green Bedchamber) 46 4.1 Location 46 4.2 History of the Cloister 46 4.2.1 Walpole 46 4.2.2 Lady Waldegrave 49 4.2.3 Strawberry Hill Trust 52 iv 4.3 Description of the Wallpapers 53 5.0 Wallpaper 57 5.1 Introduction 57 5.2 Material History and Use 58 5.2.1 Manufacturing History 58 5.2.2 Patterns 62 5.2.3 Substrate 64 5.3 Analysis and Conservation Methods 68 5.3.1 Examination In-Situ and Sampling 68 5.3.2 Microscopy 70 5.3.3 Instrumental Analysis 72 5.3.4 Deterioration 74 5.3.5 Conservation 75 5.4 Conclusion 79 6.0 Examination and Analysis 81 6.1 Testing Methodology 81 6.2 In-Situ Examination and Sampling 83 6.2.1 Sampling 83 6.2.2 Preparation of Samples 84 6.2.3 Dispersion Samples 86 6.2.4 Examination 86 6.3 Microscopy 87 6.3.1 Optical Microscopy 87 6.3.2 Polarized Light Microscopy 87 6.3.2.1 Pigment Morphology 88 6.3.2.2 Fiber Identification 90 6.4 Testing Methods 91 6.4.1 Micro-chemical Spot Testing 91 6.4.2 Fiber Identification 92 6.5 Wallpaper Pattern Evolution 92 7.0 Results of Wallpaper Sample Examination and Analysis 93 7.1 Great Cloister 93 v 7.1.1 Blue Foliate Paper 94 7.1.2 Geometric Pattern 97 7.1.3 Bird Pattern 99 7.2 Red Bedchamber 101 7.2.1 Brown on Brown Foliate 101 7.2.2 Brown and Cream Arabesque Trellise with Ivy 103 7.2.3 Blue Paper with Blue and Metallic Foil Leaf Pattern 105 8.0 Recommendations and Conclusions 107 8.1 Recommendations 107 8.2 Conclusions 109 Bibliography 111 Appendices Appendix A: Images 120 Appendix B: Plans 180 Appendix C: Tables 187 Appendix D: Chronology 190 Appendix E: Transcriptions 219 Index 304 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Strawberry Hill Looking Northwest. 120 Figure 2: Strawberry Hill in 1764, East and South Fronts 121 Figure 3: Aerial View of Strawberry Hill 121 Figure 4: Painting of Strawberry Hill, Muntz 122 Figure 5: Image Drawn by Horace Walpole of Chopp’d Straw Hall 123 Figure 6: Image Drawn by Horace Walpole of Chopp’d Straw Hall 123 Figure 7: Drawing of Early Incarnation of Strawberry Hill, circa 1750 124 Figure 8: Horace Walpole by Joshua Reynolds 125 Figure 9: Anne Seymour Damer 126 Figure 10: Lady Frances Waldegrave by Alcide Ercole 127 Figure 11: Strawberry Hill During the Great Sale 128 Figure 12: Caricature of Chichester Fortescue 129 Figure 13: Baron Hermann de Stern 130 Figure 14: Entrance Attributed to Lady Waldegrave 131 Figure 15: Strawberry Hill North Entrance 132 Figure 16: View of the Little Cloyster 133 Figure 17: Strawberry Hill, Seat of Mr. Horace Walpole (1772) 134 Figure 18: Strawberry Hill, The Seat of Honourable Mr. Walpole 134 Figure 19: South Front of Strawberry Hill (1784) 135 Figure 20: The Great Cloister Looking West 136 Figure 21: View of South and East Elevations 137 Figure 22: South Elevation of Strawberry Hill (1800-1830 137 Figure 23: Break in the Baseboard, Beauty Room, 138 vii Figure 24: Closet Found in the Great Cloister 139 Figure 25: Block Printed Wallpaper with Birds and Foliate Pattern 140 Figure 26: Wallpaper Sample Book of Cowtan and Sons 141 Figure 27: Wallpaper Sample Book of Cowtan and Sons 142 Figure 28: Block Printed Wallpaper Purple with White Geometric Pattern 143 Figure 29: First and Second Layers of Wallpaper with Borders 143 Figure 30: Bottom Layer of Paper and Border, Great Cloister 144 Figure 31: Sample Location, North Interior Wall, Cloister Closet 145 Figure 33: The Red Bedchamber with Closet 145 Figure 34: Cowtan and Sons Wallpaper Sample Book 146 Figure 35: Topmost Wallpaper in the Red Bedchamber Closet 147 Figure 36: Second Wallpaper Attributed to Lady Waldegrave, Red Bedchamber 148 Figure 37: Bottom Wallpaper, Red Bedchamber 149 Figure 39: Sample Location, Red Bedchamber 149 Figure 40: Wallpaper Stratigraphy in Cross Section, Red Bedchamber 150 Figure 41: Example of Stenciled Wallpaper 151 Figure 42: Hand Block Printing of Wallpaper 152 Figure 43: Wood Printing Blocks 153 Figure 44: Example of Wood Block-Printed WallPaper 154 Figure 45: Roller Printing Machine c. 1850 155 Figure 46: Cylinder for Machine Printing, mid-19th century 155 Figure 47: Example of Roller-Printed Wallpaper 156 Figure 48: Cupping, Cleavage and Loss, Deterioration of Wallpaper 157 Figures 49: Characteristic Cupping, Cracking, Cleavage and Loss 158 viii Figure 50: Extant Pieces of Historic Wallpaper during Consolidation 159 Figure 51: Japanese Paper used in the Consolidation of Paper 160 Figure 52: Deteriorated Wallpaper Surface 161 Figure 53: Deteriorated Wallpaper Surface after Consolidation and In-painting. 162 Figure 54: Wallpaper Samples Embedded in BioPlast. 163 Figure 55: Buehler Isomet. 163 Figure 56: Three-Part Sandpaper Grinding and Polishing System 164 Figure 56: The Flax Plant 165 Figure 57: Field Hands Retting Flax, c. 1919. 166 Figure 58: Flax Fiber from the Cloister Blue Paper in Plane Polarized Light 167 Figure 59: Flax Fiber from the Cloister Blue Paper in Cross-Polarized Light 167 Figure 60: Flax Fibers in Cross-Polarized Light 168 Figure 61: Cotton Plant Print 169 Figure 62: Mature Cotton Bolls (Seed Case) 170 Figure 63: Cotton Fiber from the Great Cloister, Blue Paper 171 Figure 64: Cotton Fiber from the Great Cloister, Blue Paper 172 Figure 65: Blue Pigment Dispersed Slide from the Cloisters, Blue Wallpaper 173 Figure 66: Cotton Fiber, Cloister Blue Paper 174 Figure 67: Cotton Fiber, Cloister Blue Paper 175 Figure 68: Cotton Fiber, Cloister Blue Paper 176 Figure 69: Mechanically Prepared Wood-pulp particle found in the Great Cloister, 177 Figure 70: Fiber Sample from Brown on Brown Foliate 178 Figure 71: Pigment Dispersion from Brown on Brown Foliate Paper 179 ix 1.0 INTRODUCTION From small tenement house to grand villa, Strawberry Hill has changed greatly over the past three centuries. Best known for its connection to the man of letters, Horace Walpole (1717-1787), Strawberry Hill has been the subject of extensive scholarly research. The house is highly noted for its role in the Gothic Revival style and 18th- century interior spaces. The writing of this thesis comes at a time of great change and opportunity for the site. English Heritage listed the site on its Building at Risk Register in 2004. The building was listed on the Secretary of State’s List of Buildings of Historic and Architectural Importance as Grade I.