Work has started to fully restore two important memorials in Ripon. The Grade II listed statue of the 1st Marquess of Ripon that graces the entrance to Ripon Spa Gardens and the First and Second War Memorial, which is also located in this elegant and award winning park, will be restored and conserved to their original glory.
Although Harrogate Borough Council’s building maintenance team has satisfactorily looked after the memorials, it has been a long time ambition of the Friends of the Spa Gardens to improve the appearance of both memorials. This will highlight their significance in terms of heritage value rather than a requirement, or need, to repair them.
This restoration project has now been made possible by a £9,200 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund following an applicationfrom Harrogate Borough Council and the Friends’ Group to the ‘Your Heritage’ programme. The gap in funding has also been secured by the Friends from the following organisations: £780 War Memorials’ Trust, £520 Ripon City Council, £500 Econ Engineering Ltd, £50 Ripon and District Branch of the Royal Engineers’ Association, £25 from Ripon Spa Hotel.
The contract, which will be managed by Harrogate Borough Council’s Parks Team and the Principal Conservation Officer, has been awarded to Hirst Conservation of Sleaford Lincolnshire. It is hoped that the War Memorial will be completed in time for this year’s Remembrance Sunday Service. Both memorials will be completed in November and the Friends’ plan to have a ceremony to mark their restoration on 21 November.
As part of the restoration, the names of those who gave their lives will be re-lettered as time has eroded the lettering on the War Memorial. And work to the magnificent Grade II listed memorial to the *1st Marquess of Ripon will see this bronze fully cleaned and its patina restored.
This is good news and shows what can be done locally when everyone pulls in the same direction. On a national scale however, the problem of war memorial deterioration is so widespread that a lead should come from Central Government in the form of a “National War Memorial Restoration Fund”. This of course means our money as taxpayers but do the British feel strongly enough about this part of our “built heritage” to pay for its upkeep? I think they do.
http://www.clean2018.moonfruit.com for more details.
Good idea. The Ripon Spa Gardens are lovely. The bandstand is being repaired as well. There is information about statue in the little Spa Gardens Tea Rooms. A great place for a cuppa and a chat.
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