HERE'S the first picture of the newly restored ceilings in York's Fairfax House - known as “England’s finest town house”.

Following the 2015 floods, pre-existing cracks in the stucco ceilings became worse.

A recent test by the York Conservation Trust showed that the ceilings required emergency work to prevent them becoming dangerous.

Experts discovered significant structural issues behind the scenes, including de-bonding within the reed and plaster backing in all of the ceilings.

In partnership with the trust, Ornate Interiors, a specialist historic and decorative plasterwork, worked to resolve the problems.

From start to finish the work took less than five weeks.

Fairfax House is set to re-open on March 27.

Megan McKenna, communications and collections assistant, said: “We eagerly await the arrival of the public in March so that they can enjoy our exciting new exhibition and see the house looking fresh, gleaming and restored.”

To celebrate the re-opening of the house, a ‘Keeping up with the Georgians: Celebrity, Society & Satire’ exhibition will be launched.

The exhibition centres on a collection of prints by infamous eighteenth century satirist James Gillray.

More at www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk/