Following extensive conservation treatment, we are delighted that our portrait of Charles Wykeham Martin, a former owner of Leeds Castle, has returned to public display.
The oil painting and its ornate, gilded frame have been off-site receiving specialist conservation treatment. This essential conservation work was made possible by a generous grant from the Rochester Bridge Trust.
Watch the video below, where our Curator of Interiors & Collections, Catherine Pell, discusses the conservation process behind the portrait’s restoration:
Charles Wykeham Martin served as a Trustee of the Rochester Bridge Trust between 1845 and 1870. This portrait was painted in 1851, while he was in post at the Charity.
During Charles Wykeham Martin’s tenure, a new bridge was built across the River Medway at Rochester. Designed by Sir William Cubitt, the bridge opened in 1856. The foundations and piers remain to this day and support the current bridge which carries traffic from Rochester to Strood.
Leeds Castle Charitable Foundation is an independent charity, committed to the preservation of the Castle, collection and estate, now and in the future. We are extremely grateful to Rochester Bridge Trust for their support on this conservation project.
