Moth-eaten Anglesey Abbey tapestry saved by deep-freeze
- Published
Conservationists at a National Trust house in Cambridgeshire have taken drastic action to save an 18th Century French tapestry from moths.
The Anglesey Abbey embroidery had been attacked by larvae which were spotted while it was being cleaned.
It was then taken to Ipswich Museum in Suffolk, wrapped in protective materials and subjected to -30C temperatures for several months.
The tapestry is now back in place ready for the house's opening on 2 March.
The work, from the Felletin workshops in France, depicts a stately home, gardens, birds and flowers.
Textile conservator May Berkouwer said: "We need to protect the fabric and deep freezing it doesn't damage the fibres of the tapestry at all, but it does kill all the insects and there's no residue of chemicals."