FOUR of Reading’s historic monuments are undergoing spring clean.
Reading Borough Council has announced that four of the town’s statues and installations will be given a new lease of life following cleaning efforts.
The Queen Victoria Jubilee statue in front of Reading Town Hall will be among them as it sees a deep clean and its boundary chains will be replaced.
It was sculpted by George Blackall Simonds, who also created the Maiwand Lion in Forbury Gardens, to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887.
The Jubilee Cross in St Mary’s churchyard, erected in the same year, will undergo a careful cleaning process and its now-eroded inscription will be restored.
The Simeon Monument in Market Place, designed by Sir John Soane, will also see a careful cleaning.
Finally the Tomb of Dr Peter Zinzan, which has seen significant damage from vandalism and weather erosion, will be repaired and reassembled.
Banners will be erected around each of the monuments bearing historical information while they undergo restoration works.
Works will be undertaken by the team which was restored parts of the Abbey Ruins, Cliveden Conservation, through Reading’s High Street Heritage Action Zone.
The initiative seeks to repair and improve sites of historical and cultural interest and foster engagement with the town’s heritage through arts programs and installations.
Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward, Reading’s Lead Councillor for Leisure and Culture, said: “It is wonderful to see the work starting on restoring these four iconic Reading monuments.
“As with any external statue or monument of some age, they are at the mercy of the weather, and sadly in some cases, vandalism.
“Our expert conservation team from Cliveden will be working hard to give these statues and monuments a fresh lease of life.”
She explained: “This work sits hand in hand with the work we are also carrying out on the historic shop fronts along the Oxford Road, and with the wonderful celebratory cultural work, including some beautiful murals and community exhibitions, that is also ongoing within our historic high streets.”
Cllr Micky Leng, Reading’s lead councillor for planning and assets, added: “This work is great news for Reading’s high street heritage.
“The concept of the ‘HSHAZ’ is to future-proof our high street areas by highlighting the heritage that is already there.
“We want to protect and enhance these historic areas – as well as celebrate their uniqueness.”
He explained: “We have been incredibly fortunate to benefit from the generous funding from Historic England, enabling us to give a significant boost to much deserving streets in and around our town centre.
“That ensures these monuments can continue to be enjoyed by current and future generations.”
Louise Dandy, historic places adviser for Historic England, said: “This is an exciting time for Reading as this restoration work is moving on apace as part of the High Street Heritage Action Zone.
“By revitalising the historic character of our monuments and buildings we contribute to people’s pride of place and understanding of the built environment around us all.
“I look forward to seeing these tangible improvements in the town centre which complement the great cultural and community work that is happening around the Oxford Road.”
