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Look Up! Historic Ceilings Hold Hidden Masterpieces
29 Oct
Summary
- Campaign invites visitors to lie down and admire grand ceilings.
- Hidden artworks are often the crowning glory of historic buildings.
- Five English Heritage sites feature special displays until November 1.
English Heritage is encouraging visitors to look up and discover the stunning artistry hidden in the ceilings of historic buildings. The "Lie Down and Look Up" campaign, running until November 1, aims to draw attention to these often-missed architectural marvels.
"Ceilings are often the crowning glory of a historic building," stated Jeremy Ashbee, head curator at English Heritage. He added that these decorations are designed to inspire awe and can survive remarkably well. The campaign offers visitors an opportunity to fully appreciate these splendid ceilings.
Five sites are participating, offering cushions for visitors to lie down and gaze upwards. These include Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire with its star-studded blue ceiling, Belsay Hall in Northumberland featuring a glass roof creating an open sky effect, and Osborne on the Isle of Wight with intricate Indian-style plasterwork in the Durbar Room.
Wrest Park in Bedfordshire showcases ceiling paintings like Venus and Cupid, while Eltham Palace in London boasts a medieval oak hammerbeam roof in its Great Hall, alongside 1930s Art Deco additions.
