East Riddlesden Hall National Trust - C Track Art Hanging System
Historic buildings can present complex challenges for even the most experienced curators, technicians and collections teams. When it comes to hanging artworks, factors such as listed building restrictions, wall structure and conservation priorities must be carefully considered.
This was exactly the case at East Riddlesden Hall, a 17th-century manor house in Keighley, West Yorkshire, now cared for by the National Trust. The team wished to display artworks in the entrance chamber within the manor, but as a Grade I listed building, the traditional approach of drilling into its stone walls was not an option.
The entrance chamber is a long corridor on the first floor of the hall, and was an underutilised space without a clear purpose prior to installing the new hanging system. This was part of a reinterpretation project in the house, as part of which the team are refreshing the displays and looking for innovative ways to engage visitors.
An Effective Solution for the Entrance Hall
Although it wasn't possible to mount artworks directly to the stone walls, the room featured an open ceiling construction. This offered a discreet solution: a ceiling-mounted track system. The team selected the Absolute C Track, which allows artworks to be suspended from the ceiling without touching the walls.
Lengths of C Track were cut to fit between the existing ceiling joists, then carefully mounted to the underside of the boards. This approach protected the historic stone walls entirely, while still enabling flexible, professional display.
Alongside conservation benefits, the system also supports future exhibition work. Artworks can be installed, repositioned or removed simply and efficiently, without further intervention to the building fabric.
To complement the space, the C Track was supplied in bespoke black. Once installed, it sits so subtly within the ceiling recess that visually it reads almost as a shadow line.
Amy Gregory, Collections and House Officer at East Riddlesden Hall, commented:
"The hanging system and its components are superb quality, and it has been an excellent service from start to finish. Prior to purchase, I sought advice on the different types of systems as we were looking to install a discreet hanging system inside a grade I listed building. The team at Absolute Museum and Gallery Products were very helpful and even provided sketches of how the hanging system would work in our space. It provided the reassurance needed that we were getting the right product for the space."
It was a pleasure to work with Amy and the team at East Riddlesden Hall, supporting them in identifying and planning the most appropriate hanging solution for their space. As a result of the installation, the team are hopeful that the system will allow them to engage visitors in new ways, as Amy describes: "The versatility of the hanging system means we can change exhibitions regularly and hopefully attract more repeat visits".
If you’re exploring how to display artworks in a heritage property in a way that is sympathetic to the architecture, aligned with listed building requirements and practical for changing exhibitions, we would be delighted to help. With decades of specialist experience, our team is always happy to offer advice and share our knowledge.
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Images Kindly Provided by East Riddlesden National Trust.
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