Experts at the National Trust’s Textile Conservation Studio in Norfolk worked on the house’s carpet, upholstered furniture, and dolls’ clothes while conservators at the Royal Oak Foundation Conservation Studio in Kent restored pieces of wooden furniture, ceramic and glass items and paper, including wallpaper, watercolours and drawings.
Seventy-three miniature items – including furniture, plates of food and even a small chandelier – were repaired and cleaned by teams of conservators at the National Trust ahead of the house becoming the centrepiece of a new exhibition at Hill Top, the author’s farm near Hawkshead, Cumbria.
The house will be kept in an interactive case, allowing visitors to spotlight different objects, and be put on display alongside a letter written by the author to a young American boy, containing a description and illustration of pet mouse Hunca Munca.
A doll’s house which inspired the stories of children’s author Beatrix Potter is going back on display after 300 hours of conservation work.
“It is always one of the more popular items with our visitors but now the conservators have done a wonderful job to bring it back up to such a high standard it is good to have it as the centrepiece of our new display.
