All too often historic buildings are radically changed or redecorated with little or no appreciation of their original appearance and use, or without regard to subsequent alterations to their decorative finishes. The Little Castle at Bolsover, Derbyshire, the subject of this study, offers a cautionary tale for all those involved in the care of historic buildings. The Little Castle possesses outstanding seventeenth-century interior decorative schemes. Research into the original and later decorative schemes used in this lavish Renaissance palace commenced in the 1980s. Beginning with an account of the history of the building and its interiors, the chapters in this volume provide a detailed record of the principles, methodology and processes used in this research.