Output details

Architectural paint analysis: King's Gardens, Southport [architectural paint research]

Context:

Kings Gardens is a historic site, close to Southport town centre and seafront and contains a range of early C20 garden structures of historic significance.

The research resides in:

Site visits and sampling allowed researchers to use their knowledge of historic sites to select appropriate places from which to take paint samples (report p.5,10,14,25,35)

Microscopic analysis revealed patterns in paint stratigraphy allowing individual paints to be identified (report p.15,16,22,23)

Historical Research allowed researchers to evaluate microscopic analysis in the context of historic images of the site (report p.19-21)

Collation of the paint sample analysis in tabular form to allowed analysis of the decorative scheme as a whole and allowed researchers to identify patterns in the decorative scheme at various periods (Report p.14).

Insights included: -

• The former sea wall railings are the earliest structure and show evidence of a series of C19 schemes (report p.25-6)

• The 'Venetian Bridge' was originally painted in uniform pale colour, the current 'picking out' of the balustrade being a recent introduction (report p. 34-6)

• An isolated sample from one of the iron shelters of 1911-12 suggested a scheme of green / pale green, which was corroborated by the paint analysis of comparable structures on the same site. (report p.37-9)

• Historic images of the iron shelters allowed the paint analysis to be interpreted and deductions formed about their appearance at various dates (report p.39-41)

Sharing:

Commissioned by Sefton Council and shared in a report that informed the successful HLF bid, resulting in a grant of £2 million in 2010.

Contribution:

Paul Croft is report author and principal investigator for interpretation of paint stratigraphy and interpretation of research findings. He was co-investigator for architectural analysis and expertise of historic paint techniques.