Steven
Ayres, Vicar of the Boston’s venerable Old North Church in the North End,
reached out recently to tell HBI about paint analyses that are just beginning
inside the sanctuary of the historic building.
The church’s plans, outlined below, could very well change our
perception of the colonial interior and shed light on how Bostonians deployed
color and decoration in the early 18th century.
If you drop in to
visit Old North Church between now and early March, you will notice scaffolding
in the rear of the sanctuary. Brian Powell and Melissa McGrew from
Building Conservations Associates, a leading historic preservation consultant, will
be crawling all over the sanctuary, taking paint samples and peeling back
centuries of paint, in order to determine the history of decorating the
interior of the church.
The Old North Foundation is conducting a historic
paint analysis this winter to research the rich colonial color schemes used to
decorate the church. Recently featured in the Globe, this project will be the second visit by Building
Conservation Associates to Old North.
Twelve years ago, senior analyst Brian Powell, surveyed Old North’s
windows prior to their complete restoration.
The buff colored paint now adorning the windows reflects the original
color used in 1723.