Downpipe

During World War Two, there was only a very limited range of paint colours available. It was entirely understandable as all resources were focused on the war effort.

In addition, the main objective of most of the external painting done at that time was to break up the regularity and conspicuousness of buildings and, more importantly, the airfields. Irregular colours and patches on the ground and on rooves helped blend the buildings into the surrounding countryside and hopefully protected them from air raids.

Meanwhile records suggest that interiors were often painted with soft and dusty pinks creamy yellows, bluey greys and gentle greens with accents in deep forest green and burgundy. In fact, the Morning Room at Highclere was apparently a pale pink.

As ever, war precipitates both change and technological advances and even house paint went through significant development in that era.  As access to  linseed oil grew limited, manufacturers developed artificial resins by mixing alcohol and acids. This paint proved to be cheap and durable and quickly became a popular replacement for oil as a paint base.

Pat admiring her oiled woodwork

The 6th Earl was separated from his second wife Tilly for much of the war and the task of redecorating was usually left to his agent: Castle bedrooms and corridors were painted in rotation. The least expensive paints available in quantity tended to be used and veered towards either a shiny cream or an avocado green and this theme continued and lasted for another 50 years. The new paint compounds held the colour well and lasted for a long time.

Meanwhile the external colours at Highclere reflected the greens of the British Army, sometimes what is called drab or the more familiar khaki.

Rations remained in force after the war and resources continued to be limited but by the 1960’s there was a reaction against the pale paint and austerity of the previous years.  Strong wacky colours came into vogue and more modern methods of pigmentation led to a revolution in the colours used for interiors.

A striking tone of green enhances this room

Paint is not new. Early man used earth pigments on cave walls such as yellow earth (ochre), red earth (ochre) and white chalk. Ochres are coloured clays that are found as soft deposits within the earth. Carbon (lamp) black was also used, collected from the soot of burning animal fats. Probably the best-known early paintings can be seen in the caves at Lascaux in France created some 17,000 years ago.

During the 17^th and 18^th century scientific advances led to a wider colour palette. In 1704, the German colour maker Johann Jacob Diesbach accidentally created Prussian blue in his laboratory. The isolation of new elements in the late 18th century also played a part in providing new colours. The discovery of large chrome deposits in North America in 1820 eased the manufacture of chrome yellow, a highly opaque, low-cost colour available in a variety of hues.

Alizarin, a red dye originally derived from the roots of madder plants, was arguably the most important organic pigment of the 19th century but cloth dyed with madder root pigment was found in the tomb of Tutankhamun so it wasn’t wholly new. In 1869 it became the first natural dye to be produced synthetically. Independent work in both Germany and Britain managed to duplicate it synthetically in the laboratory – the first time this had ever been achieved.

I have no idea how many litres of various paints Geordie and I have bought over the years we have been here but the colours and inspiration behind companies producing paints today has entirely changed. Paint names are increasingly diverse and range from the utilitarian such as Stone I to Stone V to names which conjure up history or the natural world. In addition, new subtleties of shade offer the ability to create depth and illusion in every project, big or small.

Linseed paints are also back in fashion. A good binder, it protects wooden surfaces from rotting so it not just a house paint but also more of a protective varnish of surfaces.

Over time Highclere has been painted inside and out.  Working with Sarah Morris – a much-respected interior designer – skirting boards are coloured in shades of muddy brown to ground galleries and high-ceilinged rooms. With linenfold doors and architraves consistently picked out to highlight their detail, some ceilings can be painted in anything up to four or more tones to illuminate their beauty. From stronger marmalade colours to the softest olive greens, to pearl painted effects on the Mercia bedrooms walls and a rather pretty and sophisticated shade of pink, a legion of new paint names have made their way into Highclere.

Many of the external paint colours have also been harmonised and we have begun to paint some drainpipes and hoppers a wonderful colour appropriately called Downpipe. I find all the names such fun: Dimity, Rectory Red, First Light, Archive, Powder Blue, Slaked Lime, Elephants Breath, Ointment Pink, Cashmere……..There is a whole world of inspiration out there.