If you have been into St Edward’s, Stow, in the past months, you will have noticed something missing from the wall near the South Door. The long overdue professional conservation of our very large 17th- century painting of The Crucifixion got underway on 23rd October 2024. In a fascinating process, the painting was carefully removed from the wall, given initial cleaning and protective repairs, removed from its frame and then rolled around a large drum before being removed to the Bristol studio of International Fine Art Conservation Studios. The painting will return to Stow in July 2025. During its absence, an 75% scale facsimile, generously provided by local firm Embrace Building Wraps, will hang in its place.

The painting has hung in this church since 1837, when Mr Chamberlayne of Maugersbury donated it, having purchased it in Bruges, Flanders. Attribution to Gaspar de Crayer, court painter in the Southern Netherlands in the early 1600s, is now thought inaccurate. Experts have suggested it may be by Jan Baptist Herregouts (c.1640 - 1721) of Antwerp and Bruges.

In view of the size of the canvas, the conservation process is very expensive and far beyond any justifiable cost for St Edward’s. However, the painting is an integral part of the church’s heritage and needs to be kept in a fit condition for the benefit of future generations. Fortunately, we have been successful in getting grants and donations that cover most of the cost from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Ian M Foulerton Charitable Trust, the National Churches Trust, the Leche Trust, St Andrew's Conservation Trust, Laslett's (Hinton) Charity and private donors.