Page 31 - link magazine

Hidden painting discovered 31
The nine year restoration of an ancient painting has just come to an end Ecumenical Parish of
and now visitors to St Marys Church in Lydiard Park will occasionally MOBILE
see a picture with an important difference. West Swindon
& The Lydiards ECHANIC
Anglican, Methodist,
U.R.C., Baptist. WE COME TO YOU
Toothill 'Non-Starts •Servicing 'Tuning
Rev. Ian Handscomb 693384 •M.O.T. Work .Breakdowns
Rev. Anne Thomas 496421
St. Mary's L.Tregoze for 'Electrical Faults
Freshbrook & Grange Park 'Clutches fitted
Rev. Tony Price 870244
Westlea
Rev. John Flory 770217 t
Shaw and Sparcells No Garage Prices or Waiting
Rev. Keith Boxall 770568 Please Telephone
Rev. Helen Drummond 874372
1 also All Saints, L. Millicent 876211 ANYTIME
DESPERATE? LONELY? SUICIDAL?
Painting conservators Pauline Plummer and Kiffi Stainer-Hutchins at work on
the St John triptych in St Mary's, Lydiard Park
Painting conservators Pauline it must have been a well known
Plummer and Kiffi Stainer-Hutch- artist of the time. Some very crude
ins spent ten hours a day through- cleaning took place in the early 18th
out May to complete their pains- Century followed by amateur over- You don't have to be suicidal to share
taking and delicate work of pre- painting at the end of the century your problems with us. Phone
serving the very large painting of which made the work flat and life-
the St John family at prayer. The less. We've had to do a lot of struc- anytime day or night, or call into
work is spread over several folding tural work to the painting and re- 6 Curtis Street, Swindon
panels and is situated next to the al- touching to areas of loss or dam- between 8am and 10pm
ter, opposite the tomb of Sir John St age. We didn't realise the extent of
John with its carved figures of the the overpainting until we started
man and his two wives beside him. to clean away the old material and
At an earlier stage of conserva- ouraimhas been to expose as much
tion Pauline was involved in re- of the original painting as possible.
moving the canvas first painted in "The painting of a family group
1615 so that the wooden backing is very unusual for its time. Up
could be replaced. Whilst remov- until now it hasn't had much atten-
ing layers of varnish dating from tion because of the poor treatment
the 18th and 19th Centuries, she it received in earlier years. But I'!
discovered an original painting having revealed the original, this HILLIER
underneath. work will now be recognised as a FUNERAL
"We don't know who painted major piece of art in national and
the original but as Sir John only international terms. There really SERVICE LTD
employed the best people, we know isn't anything like it anywhere."
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Some of the pupils at Freshbrook West Swindon's newest playgroup
School spent last half term study- at Sparcells started in early May PRIVATE CHAPELS OF REST
ing the workings of Parliament. and meets for 1 hour and 59 min- 24 hour personal service
Groups of children formed po- utes on Tuesday and Thursday
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ifestos, slogans and election mate- Organising for the group started A FAMILY BUSINESS OFFERING HELP
rial. They also made short videos in late 1988 and official registration AND ADVICE WHEN MOST NEEDED
about their party proposals. by the social services department is
At the end of the project other expected any moment.
classes were invited to watch the The playgroup children pictured herewith
videos, question party members playleaders Coby Day and Jane White Morrison & Masters
and then vote.
Below: The CUP Party. Standing David
Markham, Sam Cues with Gemma Bar- TOWN SQUARE, WEST SWINDON CENTRE.
tlett and Claire Young in front TELEPHONE 870055
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