Meet Vanessa Simeoni, Head Conservator

Vanessa’s job could be described as both an art and a science. Her remit covers all the Abbey’s vast array of monuments and everything from restoring medieval pavements to making sure pest traps are regularly cleared out and reset.

While much of her work is desk-based, it involves both philosophical and practical questions about how to handle the complex histories behind the huge number of monuments contained within a church that is over 750 years old.  

We sit down to chat in her office, concealed behind a green door off the charming Little Cloister. I ask how, in her 26 years here, she deals with taking care of so many monuments that come into contact with people every day when time and resources are limited? 

She is keen to stress that the tourists are a welcome presence, but their impact on the surroundings always needs to be managed. 

‘We have so many services, and so much happens here… and we’re in the middle of London. The concentration of art and decorated surfaces means that the impact of tourism not only makes it hard to get around the Abbey, but it comes with a lot of damage as well.

Our aim is to reduce the impact of agents of decay like pollution, moisture, dust and all kinds of pests. So, understanding the site holistically helps us understand how the Abbey works… Knowing the people that work here, understanding the patterns of where the tourists go… helps us understand how people impact historic fabric.’

Lorum ipsum

Graffiti has a complex role in her work. Is it fair to say that it forms part of an object’s history? 

‘Graffiti is a really interesting one, because now we would remove it as soon as it happens, because graffiti does tend to encourage more graffiti. But something like “Vicky Loves John” from 1870… that becomes something to them’, she says. 

At what point do you decide it’s old enough to stay? 

‘There’s no clear answer. In general, I would try to reduce the visibility of any graffiti. Thankfully people have more respect now for historic buildings.’ 

It’s not just the tourists that have had to do their part. ‘Cleaners who were responsible for toilets and offices were cleaning monuments and tombs and paintings. They would transfer all these really efficient techniques onto medieval fabrics.’ 

It took a while for Vanessa to encourage change. ‘Conservation is never something done on its own. It’s always part of the bigger picture. We train staff, we write guidelines and we encourage staff to explain to visitors which areas of the Abbey are fragile and why. It’s teamwork that makes it work.’ 

Despite her long tenure, and the challenges of managing an immense collection, it’s the standard and volume of art at the Abbey that keep things interesting for Vanessa. ‘A lot of them are actually working objects, so they’re used on a daily, weekly basis. It’s so fascinating: that challenge of being a conservator but working and caring for objects that are in use. And it’s overwhelmingly beautiful. That’s pretty amazing.’

Interview by Maddy Fry. Photography by Simon Dutson.