A 1957 painting honouring over 400 years of history of the former Wolvercote Paper Mill has been restored in North Oxford.
CALA Homes found the painting in a former mill building when they purchased the land in 2018. The artist remains unknown, though the painting was signed ‘L.L.T’.
The former mill is now home to a community centre and apartments built by CALA, who want to honour and remember the mill’s rich history.
Stala Thomson, sales and marketing director for CALA Homes Chiltern, said: “The restored painting only helps us to further include aspects of Wolvercote’s history.
“It will now sit proudly in our sales office which, when the site completes, will become a community centre for local residents to use and enjoy.”
Discovered in dirty condition with scuffs and scratches on the surface, the painting required a lot of restoration work according to Heather Simpson, the fine art restorer hired to bring the painting back to its former glory.
She further added: “With cleaning, the painting comes back to life again. We can see all the original colours and detail, and there is a depth in the work which cannot be seen under the discoloured varnish.”
To see the stunning painting, please call 01865 988046 or visit www.cala.co.uk
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