This summer, we had the privilege of welcoming Ellen Hunt onto our team for a six-month traineeship role, created in partnership with Historic England's Heritage Building Skills Programme. This initiative aims to foster new expertise and skills in the conservation of built heritage construction by creating new opportunities. With Historic England’s grant funding support, we were able to create a role for Ellen and dedicate the time of our expert team to mentor and guide her through a six-month period of hands-on learning and skills development. During this period, Ellen has become an integral part of our team, all while gaining invaluable experience by working on several of Recclesia’s live conservation projects at Chester Cathedral, Manchester Town Hall, and Coventry Cathedral.
A recent graduate of the University of Glasgow with an MSci in Chemistry, Ellen has previously specialised in the analysis of culturally significant dyes and inks. Being able to select a trainee from a STEM background is demonstrative of the Heritage Building Skills Programme’s ability to give hosts like us the space for a more holistic approach to the development of new skills in conservation. Ellen’s understanding of chemistry for conservation has enabled a broader approach to her practical training, allowing us to build on her academic knowledge with real-life experience on specialist conservation works.
Ellen has worked closely with one of our lead stained glass conservators, Carlotta Cammelli, who was her day-to-day mentor, along with our founder Jamie Moore and Conservation Manager Lee Bilson who looked at wider conservation theory and heritage practice across various disciplines. This collaborative team environment has provided Ellen with hands-on experience in the conservation of stained glass, historic glazing, and built heritage, all while providing the opportunity to develop skills in newer glass techniques such as kiln working, screen printing, and sandblasting.
Ellen’s time with us has been marked by involvement in a series of significant conservation projects for our studios and her useful input into these. One highlight has been her involvement in conserving Trena Cox’s St Christopher window at Chester Cathedral. This technically complex project included intricate lead repairs, edge bonding, and the careful reinstallation of the window and formed the statement piece of the Cathedral’s recent exhibition and events, Trena Cox: Reflections 100.
Throughout all of the projects Ellen has been involved with during her traineeship, she has brought her chemistry and material knowledge to bear, enabling a process of mutual learning within our team – once again highlighting the deeper joint benefits of Historic England’s work on programmes like this. Ellen’s involvement in projects like the Trena Cox window has given her unparalleled practical experience and deepened her understanding of the challenges involved in stained glass conservation.
As part of the training programme, Ellen also took part in a four-week residential summer school hosted by Historic England in partnership with the Church’s Conservation Trust at the Church of St John the Evangelist in Lancashire. This four-week summer school offered Ellen the chance to collaborate with trainees from other host organisations, fostering a sense of community and shared learning between all of the trainees – stimulating an exchange of knowledge and ideas, and broadening her perspective and learning once more.
Reflecting on her experience, Ellen Hunt said, “Over the past four months training at Recclesia, I have gained a wealth of new skills in heritage construction and stained glass. As a part of the traineeship, I attended the Historic England summer school, where I was introduced to a range of heritage practices and craft skills, including stone masonry and thatching. One of my highlights of the traineeship has been working on the conservation of the St. Christopher window in Chester Cathedral by Trena Cox. It was incredibly rewarding to see the entire conservation process unfold from start to finish. I look forward to building on these experiences in the future, and coming from a chemistry background, I am excited to explore how my scientific knowledge can continue to be applied to the field of conservation.”
As the traineeship draws to a close, we are thrilled to announce that Ellen has accepted a position with Recclesia Stained Glass and will be continuing with us as a full-time member of the conservation team next year. Over the six-month period with us, she has not only gained a comprehensive understanding of stained glass conservation principles, from working with heritage materials to undertaking site surveys and refining her technical skills, but she has helped give our team an even broader understanding of some of the chemical processes we find in our work. Ellen has developed a clear grasp of the intricacies of heritage work and her dedication and passion have not gone unnoticed.
Ellen’s traineeship at Recclesia has been a remarkable journey of learning, skill development, and conservation excellence. Her story exemplifies the transformative power of heritage training programmes and the lasting impact they can have on both individuals and the preservation of our cultural heritage. We couldn’t be prouder to have been part of her journey and for her to be continuing in her learning with us!