Following a survey of Grade 1 listed Fairfax House in 2020 and subsequent ceiling repairs to the main reception rooms, work has just been completed on the Grand Staircase, preserving this internationally important collection of Rococo stuccowork.
The handsome townhouse is home to York Civic Trust's offices and where they established an award-winning museum of Georgian life, including Noel Terry’s collection of magnificent Georgian furniture, in 1984.
We acquired Fairfax House in 2008 and began structural inspections soon after. Together with our contractors Pinnacle Conservation and in partnership with York Civic Trust, we’re delighted to further protect the ceilings of one of our best loved buildings.
The Grand Staircase at Fairfax House during conservation work.
In 2016 we identified some worsening cracks to walls and ceilings and in 2019 our structural engineers recommended a thorough inspection of all the ceilings. Once complete, specialists recommended a penny washer system of repair to keep them safe for public access.
An important role in York's unique built heritage
Not much is known about the building other than it was probably built in 1704 for a lawyer, Mr Barker. It was then subsequently sold to a coal merchant, Mr Marsh, before his bankruptcy led to the sale to Viscount Fairfax in around 1760. Viscount Fairfax wanted to bestow an elegant townhouse on his daughter Anne and paid £2,000 for the property with gardens stretching down the the river Foss.
Viscount Fairfax appointed local architect John Carr, one of England’s finest neo-classical architects, to oversee the transformation of the building. Largely completed by April 1762, Swiss-Italian stuccoist Giuseppe Cortese and his team of apprentices are believed to have created the highly decorative ceilings. Created from wet plaster, Rococo stuccowork had its heyday between 1710 and 1770, and the collection of ceilings and cornices at Fairfax House represents an internationally important example of this decorative art form.
The ceiling of each principal room is decorated with rich Rococo embellishments that depict a scene appropriate to its use. At ground floor the library contains busts of key literary figures from the 17th and 18th century: Pope, Addison, Loke and Milton. The centrepiece of the dining room ceiling is the figure of Abundantia (Abundance), with her cornucopia overflowing with fruits.
On the first floor, the drawing room depicts a scene of enduring friendship; the figure of Amicitia (Friendship) holding a flourishing elm tree. Music is the scene depicted in the saloon, decorated with vine trails, flowers and musical instruments all depicted in the finely detailed rococo scrollwork.
Commissioned by Viscount Fairfax the decorative ceilings were completed in around 1762. Fashionable between 1710 to 1770, Rococo stuccowork is created from wet plaster, giving artists the ability to sculpt fine detail.
Abundantia (Abundance), with her cornucopia overflowing with fruits, to portray the generosity of the Fairfax’s as hosts.
The principal staircase was given a prominent role in Georgian architecture with architects using cantilevers and curvilinear detailing to make them look as slender and elegant as possible. At Fairfax House the Grand Staircase is no exception, it also has a remarkable ceiling.
Reconstructed in the 1980s, the stairs have a rectangular half landing with particularly fine ironwork hand railings created by Maurice Tobin of Wakefield. The staircase is elevated further by the Rococo stuccowork to the walls and ceilings. The purpose of the scene depicted on the ceiling is less clear than some of the other rooms. However, the main features are thought to be patriotic symbolism referencing Britain’s colonial supremacy and victories in the Seven Years’ War and the Fairfax family's religious sympathies.
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with York Civic Trust and specialist contractors Pinnacle Conservation, fulfilling our role to carefully conserve and maintain one of York's most significant 18th century buildings.”
Guy Bowyer, CEO York Conservation Trust
All the ceilings at Fairfax House are constructed with a lime plaster on reed backing, a system favoured by architect Carr. Unlike a timber lath and plaster ceiling, where large ‘nibs’ of plaster adhere it in place from above, the thick layer of reeds means practically no plaster can be seen and it is very difficult to access how well it is afixed. As the plaster ages and the building moves over time, cracks appear. When there is substantial cracking the ceilings need supporting in other ways.
Penny washer repair technique
To prevent areas of cracked plaster detaching it is necessary to use a securing method that avoids the need for intrusive work and causes minimal harm to the historic fabric. The technique chosen for Fairfax House uses penny washers that are fitted in the plaster layer of the ceiling under the ceiling joists. The screws and washers are made from stainless steel, and the position of each penny washer is carefully selected to ensure the screw securely embeds in the timber of the ceiling joists. Care is taken to avoid areas containing decorative plasterwork and only flat sections of the ceilings are used.
The ‘invisible safety net’
The washers are not screwed tightly, they are there to hold the ceiling in place should its own plaster fixings become loose or fail, like installing an invisible safety net. The holes are then filled with a conservation repair mix of lime putty and casting plaster of a ratio of 3:1. The cracks are carefully raked out and filled with the same mix. A great deal of care is then taken to colour match the surrounding paintwork to complete the job using a matt emulsion matching that of the surrounding ceilings of the type used in the earlier 1980’s restoration work.
The restoration project now complete, Fairfax House is once more ready to welcome visitors and give them a taste of life as a member of York's Georgian high society.
“York Civic Trust is incredibly fortunate to be able to work closely with York Conservation Trust in caring for Fairfax House. The works repairing the Grand Central staircase ceiling, undertaken by Pinnacle Conservation has not only secured the future of this very ornate and delicate part of the building but also allowed our curatorial team to make significant discoveries about the design, construction and craftspeople who made one of the finest 18th century ceilings in York. ”
Andrew Morrison, CEO York Civic Trust
Images courtesy of Pinnacle Conservation and York Civic Trust.
