Historic painting returns to Gawthorpe Hall after restoration funded by Brian Hall MBE
A historic painting restored through a £5000 legacy from Burnley historian Brian Hall MBE is now on display at Gawthorpe Hall.
The Madonna of the Goldfinch, originally purchased by the Shuttleworth family in Florence in 1876, has undergone specialist conservation work funded through a bequest left by the late Brian Hall MBE.
Now on loan from All Saints Church in Habergham, the painting has returned to Gawthorpe Hall, where it is being displayed in the Long Gallery as part of a wider project to showcase artworks connected to the Hall’s history.
The conservation work, carried out by Lancashire County Museum Service at Lancashire Conservation Studio, carefully restored the painting and its frame, ensuring it can be enjoyed by visitors while being preserved for the future.
The display was marked with a special event attended by members of the church congregation, Friends of Gawthorpe and supporters of the Hall, offering a chance to see the painting in its new setting.
Two further historic portraits from Lancashire County Council’s museum service collection have also gone on display. Dating from the 1590s, the paintings of Sir William Farrington and John Braddyll add to the story of Lancashire’s past and strengthen the historic links reflected in the Long Gallery.
The Madonna of the Goldfinch has now been restored
Rachel Pollitt de Duran, Museum Manager at Gawthorpe Hall, said:
“This project has been about bringing together paintings that reflect the history of Gawthorpe Hall and its wider connections.
“The restoration of the Madonna of the Goldfinch means a much-loved piece of local heritage can now be shared more widely, thanks to Brian Hall’s support.”
"We hope people will come along and enjoy seeing it back on display.”
County Councillor Ella Worthington, cabinet member for Civic Pride, said:
“Thanks to Brian Hall’s generous legacy, an important piece of Lancashire’s heritage has been carefully restored and can now be enjoyed by visitors once again.
“It’s great to see it returned to Gawthorpe Hall alongside other historic works, helping bring the story of the Hall and its connections to life.”
Notes to editors
Gawthorpe Hall is a National Trust property, leased and maintained by Lancashire County Council and managed by Lancashire County Museum Service is partnership with the National Trust. www.lancashire.gov.uk/museums
Brian Hall, (1936-2024) was a well-known Burnley resident with a passion for Burnley and its heritage. He was a history teacher working at Hollin High School in Rochdale. He was also a founder member of the Weaver's Triangle Visitors Centre in Burnley, where he was Chairman of the trust that operated it. He was also an active member of the Burnley Civic Trust, the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Trust and the Townley Hall Society. He was awarded by MBE in 2004. As art of his on-going legacy a number of heritage organisations have received bequests to support work to promote local heritage.
The Madonna of the Goldfinch, also know as Madonna del Cardellino, was painted in Florence in 1876, and is based on the original work by Italian Renaissance artist Raphael from the 1500s. It shows Mary dressed in blue and red with two infants, John the Baptist holding the goldfinch which is a symbol of the crucifixion and the infant Jesus. The goldfinch also features in the Kay-Shuttleworth crest and probably why this painting was chosen by the family for their collection. It hung in their London home and then in Gawthorpe Hall from the 1930s, then in 1969 it was gifted to All Saints Church in memory of Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth. The painting underwent specialist conservation work at Lancashire Conservation Studios and returned on loan to Gawthorpe Hall in 2026.