Plans to repair monument obscured by scaffolding

18 hours ago

Kirsten RobertsonWiltshire

News image — The monument has awaited repairs for more than 15 years

Getty Images A tall stone obelisk on a hillside. At the base of the structure is wooden fences and netting. — The monument has awaited repairs for more than 15 years

A Grade II-listed monument which has been covered in scaffolding for more than 15 years may soon be repaired.

The Lansdowne Monument, which sits on a hillside near Calne in Wiltshire, has hoarding in place to protect walkers from falling masonry, after the structure suffered weather damage.

The National Trust, which looks after the obelisk, has now submitted plans to Wiltshire Council to carry out repairs and to ensure "a sustainable future" for the site.

Deb Bassett, who lives close to the stone structure and had previously set up a petition to get the monument fixed, said she was "excited" about the plans and "it does appear the National Trust" was "keeping its promise".

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If approved, the work at the 38m-tall (125ft) stone obelisk, also known as the Cherhill monument, would see "unstable stones" rebuilt and masonry repaired.

Bassett said she plans to head up to the structure "with a bottle of bubbly" if repairs do take place this year.

"There is a whole generation of people in Wiltshire who have never seen this monument without scaffolding," she added.

A grey fence and wooden scaffolding and black netting in place around a stone structure — Hoarding is in place at the Cherhill monument to protect people from potential falling stones

The Landsdowne monument was designed by architect Sir Charles Barry, best known for his role in the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster, in 1845 for the 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne.

Located at the western corner of the Oldbury Castle hillfort, the monument was taken on by the National Trust in 1988.

Getty Images An aerial image of a hillside which has a large stone obelisk in one corner and a white horse etched onto the hillside in another corner — The monument sits near the Cherhill White Horse near the town of Calne

The organisation previously carried out a feasibility study and research into replacement stone which could be used to repair the obelisk, which will remain partially covered until the repairs are completed.

A National Trust spokesperson added: "We aim to start work on site again in the Spring."

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