Projects — American Friends of British Art

Our Projects

Listed below are historically significant projects involving the restoration or conservation of art and architecture which have received funding from the American Friends of British Art. These important projects have encompassed paintings, stained glass, furniture and architecture, in England and in Scotland.

The American Friends of British Art accept formal grant applications, which are carefully reviewed by our Board members each year, some of whom are trained experts in architecture and art history. The Board vote on which projects are to receive a grant from the American Friends of British Art, and all projects we fund are accessible to the general public.

An exceptional exhibition of paintings and textiles celebrating 18th Century Scottish fashion taking place in 2024 at The Georgian House in Edinburgh, featuring roughly a dozen paintings by the Scottish artist Allan Ramsay, being cleaned and restored with a $15,000 grant from the American Friends of British Art.
AFBA provided $15,000 to clean & restore stained glass and architectural features in the South Quire Aisle. The chapel dates to 1475 and remains independent of the Crown, State and Church, and is entirely self-financing. This grant was made in commemoration of the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
AFBA provided $14,400 toward a massive reconstruction project at the historic London residence of the great composer, George Frideric Handel. Handel lived and worked at this home on Brook Street in Mayfair from 1723 to 1759, composing such masterpieces as “Messiah”.
AFBA provided $14,000 for the restoration and conservation of Robert Scott Lauder’s 1847 painting “Christ Teacheth Humility”. The conservation work will took place in full public view, to help educate museum visitors on the techniques used in art restoration.
AFBA provided $7,000 for the structural repair and re-casting of bells for the St. Mary’s East Raynham Church in Norfolk. The bell tower required structural repair and many of the original bells had been sold off over the decades to pay for upkeep. The full peal of bells finally rung again after 70 years. This was the very first project funded by AFBA.
AFBA provided $6,500 to spearhead a campaign to clean and restore these important paintings, attributed to Cornelius Johnson (1593-1661) and have only recently rediscovered. The paintings depict the young children of Charles I, including two small paintings of the young princesses. A video of this ongoing project can be seen on our “Virtual Library” page.
AFBA provided $5,000 to clean and restore stained glass windows at the 13th century Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon. The church was the site of William Shakespeare’s christening, and serves as his final resting place, drawing pilgrims and Shakespeare enthusiasts from all over the world.
AFBA provided $4,400 to repair and restore an important Japanned (Chinoiserie) cabinet at Kelmscott Manor, the Elizabethan-period Cotswold home of the artist William Morris from 1871-1896. The manor is owned and managed by the Society of Antiquaries of London and is open to the public.
AFBA provided $4,090 for the restoration and re-installation of an original oak staircase at The Grange in Northington, England. The original structure dates to the Jacobean period and was saved from total demolition by its conversion into an opera house.
AFBA provided $2,000 to clean and restore two paintings at the Clan MacPherson Musuem in Newtonmore, Scotland. The two 18th century oil portraits are of MacPherson clan chiefs, and were in significant need of repair.