Engineers to inspect Lord Hill's statue today
The statue of Lord Hill on top of The Column in Shrewsbury will today be inspected by structural engineers after several small pieces of stone fell from the statue during the strong winds last week.
Engineers will go up in a cherry picker to inspect the current condition of the statue and to decide if any action is needed to help prevent further debris falling to the ground, including the possibility of covering the statue in netting.
The base of the Column is currently surrounded by safety fencing after pieces of stone fell from the statue in April 2012 and again in December 2012.
Last Wednesday, some of the debris landed outside the safety fencing which currently surrounds The Column, as the perimeter of the fencing can’t be further extended, other options are now being considered to help protect passers-by.
Conservation experts Taylor Pearce carried out an inspection of the statue in November 2012 and their report – which looks at a range of future options for the statue, including repairing it or replacing it with a replica – is currently being considered by English Heritage.
Rob Wagstaffe, property service manager with Shropshire Council said:
“Lord Hill famously fought in a number of battles, but his biggest enemy at the moment is the weather. In the past few months heavy rain, frost and now wind have caused pieces to break off the statue.
“Our priority is to ensure the safety of people passing by the Column so we’ve called in structural engineers to carry out a further assessment of the statue and to offer their professional advice about what action can be taken.”
The inspection is due to start at around 9am.
