the brick exterior is fragile and expensive to repair. the structure has the date 1591 on a beam in one of the upper rooms of the house. current renovations include removal of pipework and wiring. additional elements include heating and lighting features, as well as a new lift and a staircase to replace one which was previously removed. conservators made some discoveries after removing layers of interior paint: the mysterious drawing of a man's face within a 16th-century setting, and a pattern of black lines with similarity to a plaster painting discovered on the second floor.