Painted beams at Traquair House
These beautiful painted beams were uncovered at Traquair House in 1954 when Frank Maxwell Stuart, 19th Laird of Traquair, was undertaking some restoration work in the High Drawing Room.
As the plaster on the ceiling was cracking an investigation revealed the beams underneath that had been covered up since the mid 1700’s when the room was redecorated by the 4th and 5th Earls of Traquair.
The entire ceiling was then exposed and although in poor condition, excerpts from the Geneva bible could be seen along with depictions of fruit, flowers and figures. The Geneva Bible was published in 1560 and the unidentified painter probably painted these beams around the late 1500’s. Interestingly, the quotations are written in vernacular Scots which would indicate that the verses were memorised rather than copied from a published version.
Eventually, it was decided to only restore a few of the beams to permanent view as to have restored the whole ceiling would have changed the character of the room which was a designed eighteenth century interior with panelled walls and painted overdoors.