Conserving the Unicorn

The final tapestry in the Mystic Hunt of the Unicorn series was recently unveiled at Stirling Castle.

The project, which spanned 14 years, was commissioned to recreate the way The Royal Palace looked in the 1540s.

The freezing of the final tapestry takes place

Part of the project involved taking preventative measures against pests damaging the tapestries – and this involved freezing them at temperatures of -30oc for 72 hours.

The tapestry is checked carefully after the freezing process.

The process of freezing was carried out in a non-invasive way to prevent pests such as moths and beetles causing damage to the collection. This procedure is successful at all stages of the insect life cycle.

The final tapestry during installation

One the freezing process was completed, the tapestries were then slowly reacclimatised to room temperatures, before being hung in the Palace.

The Royal household look pleased with the end result

An exhibition about the tapestry project, ‘Weaving the Unicorn’ is now open to visitors.

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