In pictures: Warm Shrewsbury welcome as Lord Hill column fundraisers arrive

The walkers were Reverend Richard Hayes and Nigel Hill, who arrived in full period attire at Shrewsbury Castle on Saturday after walking 75 miles.

The pair have been walking about 12 miles a day along a route from Anglesey originally laid down by Thomas Telford, all to raise awareness of the plight of Shrewsbury's own Lord Hill's column.

The column, which is a monument of national importance, was built between 1814 and 19816. It was put up in honour of General Rowland Lord Hill, while the battles were still being fought.

But despite extensive work to the column in recent years, the statue at the top is showing cracks and a campaign has started to raise £500,000 to replace it before it is gone forever.

The Rev Hayes, chairman of the Friends of Lord Hill's Column group, and Mr Hill, a distant relative of Lord Hill, were met at the castle by Shrewsbury Mayor Miles Kenny and town crier Martin Wood, along with members of the 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers Napoleonic Re-enactors Society – dressed as one of the regiments commanded by Lord Hill during the Peninsular War and at Waterloo.

They then made their way across the town to the column itself where they were met by other dignitaries including Daniel Kawczynski MP, Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire Sir Algernon Heber-Percy, High Sheriff of Shropshire Christine Holmes and chair of Shropshire Council Ann Hartley.

Rev Hayes is a former City of London rector who has retired to where he was born and raised around Stanton upon Hine Heath, near Shawbury. He said it had been a different experience walking in period uniform to what he was used to, but a fun one.

He said: "It has been hot at times and we are a little foot sore, but it has been mostly good weather.

The main thing has been to raise awareness of the need for repairs and the importance of Lord Hill as a great figure of Shropshire and part of history."

The two began their journey at Lord Uxbridge's column in Anglesey on April 4. Nigel Hill said he had got involved as Lord Hill was his four times great uncle and, though he personally lived in London, his family had multiple ties to Shropshire.

"I remember being taken up the column as a young boy, and taking my own children up there, and it's great that it's being opened to the public now," he said.

Councillor Kenny said that he had joined Friends of Lord Hill's Column as a member last year.

He said in time of austerity, and with Shropshire having so many old monuments and buildings, it was difficult to apply for funding to ensure they were preserved so the action of Rev Hayes and Mr Hill was timely and welcome. "We cannot afford to lose our old buildings," he said.