Painted panels saved at Browne’s Hospital in Broad Street, Stamford

Painted wooden panels believed to date from about 1583 have been saved for future generations.

The two panels are thought to have been placed in the upstairs Audit Room of the Browne’s Hospital almshouse in Broad Street, Stamford in the late 16th Century.

Fixed to a screen, the panels are painted with verses from The Acts of the Apostles in The Bible (Acts 10: 1-5) telling of a God-fearing centurion called Cornelius who gave to the poor and was, as a result, visited by an angel.

A project was launched this year to save the panels. Curator of Browe’s Hospital, David Wallington, said: “The paint on the panels had started to flake and the varnish to darken.

“Conservationists from Freeman and Young were invited to visit and advise, and the panels were then cleaned, the existing paint stabilised and the missing paint carefully touched in.

“However, because of earlier over-painting we were told that removing the varnish would also remove areas of paint.

“Nevertheless the panels are now easier to read and are saved for future generations.”

The work was paid for by a gift from the late Pam Sharpe, a trustee of Browne’s along with donations from the 1,000 visitors the historic building has received this year.

It follows work to protect the stained glass windows which can be seen from Broad Street, which date from 1475.

The Audit Room was once a guildhall for the parish guild of All Saints. The guilds were dissolved in the mid-16th Century and it is believed the panels date from the same period as the long oak table in the same room and inscribed ‘1583’.

Mr Wallington believes they may mark the year that the almshouse took over the room as the office of the charity.