High above Hyde Park Corner expert masons are busily carving replacement decorative stonework to repair the former London Home of the first Duke of Wellington.

Apsley House, managed by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, is showing less structural resilience than the reputation of the 'Iron Duke'. The house with its art treasures was presented to the nation in 1947. The collection is famous for containing a huge statue by Canova of Napoleon Bonaparte, and picutes captured from the Emperor's brother Joseph at the Battle of Vitoria.

Much of the ornate stonework added to the original brick building by Wellington is now in need of repair or replacement. Corinthian capitols, built with Bath stone to a design of Benjamin and Philip Wyatt, require extensive repairs.

Stone craftsmen from PAYE Stonework and Restoration have cut out eroded sections of the elaborately carved column capitols. After carefully selecting replacement stone that matches the exterior of the Grade I listed building, the masons are undertaking carving on site of the block inserts.

Once the stone blanks have been attached to the original façade using stainless steel dowels, the stone carvers get to work. On scaffolding high over the busy heart of the Capital, the masons painstakingly hand carve designs and ornamentation to match the original exactly.

Part of the building subject to the repair work is still occupied as private apartments by the present Duke of Wellington. The residential area has been used throughout the repairs and the main museum has remained open to the public during the work.

In addition to the intricate carved replacement carried out by PAYE, the company has been responsible for repairing cracked and eroded stones, replacing defective mortar with carefully matched new material and brush cleaning algae and other deposits from the stone façade.