Dyrham Park painting showcased in third TV series of Hidden Treasures of the National Trust

Newly conserved and historically significant Dyrham Park painting showcased in third TV series of Hidden Treasures of the National Trust   

Dyrham Park features in episode three in the third series of the BBC’s Hidden Treasures of the National Trust which aired on Friday 30 May. 

The hugely popular series that shines a light on the experts and volunteers who look after the properties and collections in the National Trust’s care, has returned to BBC Two and iPlayer this spring and features four National Trust places in the south west. 

Each Friday at 9pm on BBC Two, and also on BBC iPlayer, the series reveals new and compelling stories about the work going on behind the scenes to conserve incredible objects and properties and the passionate staff, volunteers and external specialists who care for them, narrated by actor and national treasure himself, Toby Jones. 

Image - National Trust conservator & a view of the Port of Brigetown (c)National Trust Images, James Dobson

 The Dyrham Park episode explores a panoramic painting newly acquired by the National Trust and thought to be one of the earliest painted depictions of the port of Bridgetown, Barbados. The painting had belonged to William Blathwayt, the leading colonial official of the late 17^th century and owner of Dyrham Park. It left the house in the 1950s with the last Blathwayt owners of Dyrham Park and was acquired by the National Trust in 2022. 

The painting has been undergoing extensive work at National Trust’s Royal Oak Foundation Conservation Studio in Knole in Kent since March 2024 and will be coming back to Dyrham Park in early June. 

Thought to be by an Anglo-Dutch or Anglo-Flemish artist and one of only three paintings of 17^th-century Barbados known to exist, ‘A View of the Port of Bridgetown, Barbados, with Extensive Shipping’ has also found itself at the centre of a research collaboration between historians from Yale Center for British Art, Barbados Museum and Historical Society and the National Trust. 

The collaboration has brought together experts from different disciplines across the globe. Expert historians specialising in Barbados, maps, military, maritime and art have all contributed to create a deeper understanding of what is being portrayed in this rare and significant painting. 

A Spanish ship sits alongside many English vessels, depicting what could be an event of significance, as ships fire salutes and trumpeters fanfare. It may show the 1690s when England and Spain were allied against the French during the Nine Years’ War (1688-97). Research to uncover more continues. 

Barbados was then the wealthiest English colony in the Caribbean, and a key port of call on transatlantic routes. Ships arrived with enslaved African people to work on the plantations and departed with sugar for sale in Europe. Wind-powered cane mills, warehouses, wharves, and ships are shown in the painting; enslaved Africans are absent from the scene. 

Almost 500 hours were spent on the painting at the conservation studio. The painting was cleaned to remove a yellowed varnish, along with a substantial amount of old restoration paint which obscured around 40-50% of the work. Tiny brushes were used in highly skilled precision work to inpaint damaged areas whilst leaving visible as much of the original as possible. A maritime historian was consulted to help accurately recreate the ships’ rigging.  The painting was also sent to the Courtauld Institute of Art for technical analysis and an X-ray to look at its composition.  

From Friday 6 June, the painting will be on show on an easel in Dyrham Park house’s Slop’t Parlour, allowing visitors to get close and see the fine details.   

Dyrham Park’s General Manager Tom Boden said: “We’re delighted to feature in Hidden Treasures and look forward to sharing some of our stories, in particular the Bridgetown painting which is due back here very soon after conservation work. There are so many themes woven through the work on so many levels. The painting was thought to have been acquired by Blathwayt when he was Auditor General of Plantation Revenues and it helps link this house with the colonial system which affected countries and people across the world. 

”We look forward to ongoing collaborations with colleagues in Barbados and Yale to discover more about the significance of the painting and its place in the history of the island.”  

The programme also features fine 17^th-century Flemish wall tapestries from the collection that were conserved at the National Trust Textile Conservation Studio in Norfolk followed by specialist wet cleaning in Belgium. Hanging in the house’s Tapestry Bedchamber, the tapestries are one of only two sets of their kind in the UK depicting the fountains and parterres of the famous gardens at Enghien near Brussels. 

Dry stone wall volunteers who play a vital role in the 270-acre South Gloucestershire site’s outdoor team also feature in the hour-long episode.  

 Other south west properties featured in the six-part series include Clouds Hill, Lanhydrock and Corfe Castle.  

 Amanda Goodman, Commissioning Executive BBC Arts, says: “It’s a joy to bring another series of Hidden Treasures of the National Trust to life, showcasing all the intricate and specialist work going on behind the scenes. And to hear from the passionate staff and volunteers who help care for these incredible objects and buildings for us all to enjoy.” 

Tarnya Cooper, Conservation and Curation Director of The National Trust, says: “Each of these programmes provides access inside our incredible historic interiors, gardens and parks for everyone to enjoy and offers truly inspiring moments of curiosity, wonder and joy. Our conservators and external specialists spend thousands of hours every year looking after the places and collections in our care. Hidden Treasures of the National Trust is a brilliant way of showcasing their expertise, patience and passion. This series has particularly highlighted the research that goes into understanding the meanings of our collections, their places in our lives and their national significance.” 

Dyrham Park is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm. The house is open from 11.30am with last entry at 4pm. Normal admission charges apply, and it’s free for National Trust members.