'Carvings are Forever!'

These carvings really do seem to have lasted forever. Original, at least 150 years old and an abundance of them. From the two rear porch brackets to the larger corner carvings to the smaller & plentiful inter rib adornments.

Slowly stripped back, using a heat gun, the delicate wood beneath reveals its quality of design, rid of its layers of ageing paint, which have clogged up the fine grooves and scrolls. Some will need a little TLC, but many have survived the ravages of time and nature.

Saving Private Carving

Unfortunately the carving above has become the first casualty of this restoration, and will need saving with glues and pins before being refitted to the waggon. This particular carving had been marked on the back with ' N1 ', possibly by the last restorer, and probably signifies its position on the waggon as nearside 1 - indeed it was placed on the nearside of the waggon, the first carving on the bottom half. The small section of board behind this carving was rotten and looks to have been replaced before. So the hunt for some hardwood begins to shape and replace this piece. We may have to repair also the rib that sits in front of the join on this board as this too has rotted behind at the bottom and been previously filled.