Pembrokeshire Pink

[elm]

Tapped off the first little patch of grim pebbledash from the front of the house today; it reveals itself to have been painted several shades of pink - the first layer is a really quite dark deep reddish pink, later layers are paler. Have already removed the render from the chimneys, no trace of pink up there, but lots of white. How different the house must have looked without the upvc and pebbledash treatment.

I vaguely remember hearing/reading something about 'Pembrokeshire Pink', but can't now find any reference to it. Certainly it is tempting to reinstate it once we get to that stage ....

 

[Gervase]

It was made from red iron oxide which was shipped up by pony and pack mule from the Forest af Dean, and the more dosh you had, the darker the pink, until it approached a deep Tuscan red. Have a look at the Ty Mawr website to see the pigments available.

 

[elm]

Thank you, fascinating - must have been posh indeed as, judging by the tracres that are left, liberal amounts of pink were used inside the house as well. Found these layers above the relatively modern register boarding inside the simne fawr, though the camera flash has deadened the colours. Do you know why and how long ago this colour was so popular?

 

[alice]

I don't know anything about "pinks" in Wales, but it's a traditional Suffolk color.

Here's an article about historical pigments.

http://www.ihbc.co.uk/context_archive/40/paints.htm

alice

 

[Penners]

I don't know anything about "pinks" in Wales, but it's a traditional Suffolk color.

The difference was that, in Suffolk, the pink was apparently created with animal blood. However the same principle applied - the more money you paid, the more blood you could afford to add, so the darker the pink.

 

[elm]

Must have been quite striking, the first layer of pink looks a very similar colour to Kennixton Farmhouse (re-erected at the Museum of Welsh Life), pictured below. I'm always on the lookout for clues as to the age of our house, does anybody know when this shade fell out of use?





I've just read that the colour was thought to ward off evil spirits, don't know if this was also the case in Suffolk?

 

[Penners]

If that was also the intention in Suffolk, it doesn't work.

My neighbour's sloe gin is definitely evil.

 

[elm]

:lol: mmm, will keep an eye on our damson gin if we re-pink, in case it tries to flee the premises ......