Unveiled to the public in 1713, the Queen Anne statue was designed by Francis Bird and originally installed at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
After the original was damaged, a replica was completed in 1885 by sculptor Richard Belt for the London site. The damaged original was subsequently rescued, bought and installed in Holmhurst St Mary by Victorian writer Augustus Hare.
The statue had fallen into further disrepair over the years due to a lack of regular maintenance. The renovation will include modelling five missing heads from the surviving statue at St Paul’s Cathedral and the careful removal of spray paint.
Luke Chandler, Director of Delivery commented “We’re incredibly proud to be working with Thakeham to restore this historic monument to its former glory, for future generations to enjoy.
Celebrated for its sustainable features, Holmhurst St Mary is an 100% affordable development, it will be a great place to live. We’re delighted the statue will be a focal point for the benefit of both our residents and the community.”
Works on site are well underway to deliver 208 homes, with phased handovers between late 2024 and October 2025.
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