Survey finds corrosion on the statue
The Trust looks after the statue in the Market Square under an agreement with the town council, which owns it. In January we commissioned a condition survey, the first since 2004, from an accredited conservator of metals and stone.
The survey found active corrosion on the bronze, particularly on the raised arm and the folds of the cloak, where rain collects; streaking on the plinth below; and open joints between the stones of the plinth, which let water into the core. It found no structural problem with the figure itself.
The conservator recommends cleaning the bronze, treating the corrosion and applying a new protective wax, and raking out and repointing the plinth with lime mortar. The work is estimated at £41,760 including scaffolding and VAT. The trustees will look for funding over the coming months.