Vanessa Simeoni ACR, is a stone and preventive conservator and Head Conservator at Westminster Abbey. On graduating from the Art School’s BA (Hons) Conservation Studies in 1992, she was employed by Cliveden Conservation Workshops for seven years working across the UK on a variety of stone conservation projects. She worked at various National Trust, English Heritage and Historic Royal Palaces sites as well as Uppark House and Windsor Castle, post fires. She developed a specialism in the conservation of medieval floor tiles through projects at numerous cathedrals in the UK. Historic floors and churches remain a passion for her.
She set up conservation at Westminster Abbey and heads a small team of dedicated conservators covering a variety of specials. In addition to stone, Vanessa focuses on preventive conservation and collection care. Major Abbey projects include the conservation of the Cosmati pavement and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries.
Vanessa is an accredited conservator, CPD reader and PACR assessor for ICON. She is currently a conservation committee member on the Sculpture and Furnishing group for the Cathedral and Church Building division, Church of England. She has lectured on the Historic Floors course at West Dean and published on her work at the Abbey.