Master craftsman Benedict Ryan to lead gilding workshop at Wisbech

A master craftsman who has worked on historic interiors restoration projects including at Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Westminster and the National History Museum will be leading a free heritage workshop in Wisbech.

Benedict Ryan will be teaching a full-day gilding workshop at St Peter’s Church Hall on Saturday, October 8, as part of Fenland District Council’s Wisbech High Street Project.

Places on the project’s last heritage workshop, Stained Glass and Copper Foiling, went within 48 hours - so the advice is to be quick if you’d like a space.

The gilding workshop is the latest heritage skills event to be organised through the project, which is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and made possible thanks to National Lottery players.

Launched in partnership with Lincoln Conservation in May last year, the events have provided local people with access to free heritage skills and traditional construction training opportunities.

Cllr Chris Seaton, Fenland District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Heritage and Social Mobility, said: “There has been such a variety of workshops, from making medieval tiles and repairing Georgian and Victorian brickwork to timber restoration and now the ancient decorative technique of gilding. They also cater for all skill levels and experience and are completely free thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, so I would encourage anyone who is interested to get involved.”

The workshop will run from 9.30am to 3.30pm (including one hour lunch break, food not provided).

During the workshop, participants will make small plaster medallions or similar which can then be gilded and taken home at the end.

It will also include a short lecture on gilding: history, materials, and techniques, with samples of materials and gilding examples to hand round.

It will be led by Benedict Ryan, who studied a BA in Conservation and Restoration at the University of Lincoln and then went on to do a Masters, specialising in the conservation of historic interiors. Following his graduation, he went on to work for a Royal Warrant holding interiors restoration company and now runs a specialist decoration company based in central London called Charles Cooper Specialist Decorators and Gilders.

Workshop participants are asked to wear clothes they don’t mind getting dirty, or to bring aprons/overalls. All materials are provided. This workshop is suitable for adults only.

Places on the workshop are open to anyone, although people living in and around Wisbech will be given priority if spaces are oversubscribed.

To book a place, email Fenland District Council’s Creativity & Culture Development Officer, Jaime-Lea Taylor, on jtaylor@fenland.gov.uk.