Options for future of Lord Hill’s statue to be considered

A report by conservation experts who carried out an inspection of the statue of Lord Hill on top of The Column in Shrewsbury in November 2012 is now being considered by Shropshire Council.

The inspection was carried out by Taylor Pearce Restoration Services to assess the condition of the 17ft-tall statue, and to determine if repairs are needed, after a piece of masonry fell from it in April 2012.

Their report outlines a range of options relating to the possible repair or replacement of the statue, which has been exposed to the elements for almost 200 years and been repaired a substantial number of times during this period.

These options are now being considered by council officers, who must then seek the views of English Heritage before any decisions or further action can be taken.

Once English Heritage’s feedback is received, it will be possible to say more about the possible course of action and timescales involved.

Meanwhile, the safety fencing which has  surrounded the base of the Column since the first rock fall in May 2012 is to stay in place while the options are considered, and until the statue has been either repaired or replaced.

Keith Barrow, Leader of Shropshire Council, said:

“Taylor Pearce carried out a very thorough inspection of Lord Hill and they’ve now presented us with a detailed report that outlines their findings and recommendations.  As the Column is a listed structure, the first thing we have to do is consult with English Heritage to seek their views about the findings and the future course of action.  Once we have their feedback, and are a little clearer on what the next steps may be, we’ll let people know.”

To find out more about Lord Hill’s Column, go to Facebook and search for ‘Lord Hill’s Column, Shrewsbury’.