Assessing the Long-term Success of Reigate Stone Conservation at Hampton Court Palace and the Tower of London

Inherited stone mineralogy, past decay pathways, and current environmental conditions significantly influence the ongoing degradation of Reigate stone, overshadowing the effectiveness of conservation treatments. While wax, limewash, silane, and ammonium tartrate methods have offered partial protection at the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace, no single treatment has universally halted decay. Non-destructive and minimally-destructive testing revealed that ammonium tartrate's success varies, suggesting that intrinsic stone properties and environmental factors play a more critical role than treatment history in long-term preservation outcomes.

Michette, M., Viles, H., Vlachou-Mogire, C., & Angus, I. (2020). Assessing the Long-term Success of Reigate Stone Conservation at Hampton Court Palace and the Tower of London. Studies in Conservation, 65(sup1). https://doi.org/10.1080/00393630.2020.1752427