Shrewsbury's Lord Hill Column cordoned off as more debris falls off statue

Shropshire Council has cordoned off the public area at the bottom of The Column and is arranging an inspection of the statue to determine its condition and if any repair work is needed.

The safety measures will remain in place until further notice.

Dean Carroll, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for housing and assets, said: “Lord Hill famously fought in a number of battles, but his biggest enemy is undoubtedly the weather – especially heavy rain, frost and wind.

“The historic monument is maintained on a regular basis by us, but unfortunately the recent bad weather has not been kind to the fragile statue. As you would expect, our priority is to ensure the safety of people passing by The Column, so we’re arranging a specialist assessment of the statue to determine what action may be necessary.”

Completed in June 1816 The Column was erected in honour of the Right Honourable Rowland Lord Hill, Baron of Almarez in Spain, and of Hawkstone and Hardwick Grange, Shropshire; Commander-in-Chief of the British Army; a General in the Army; Governor of Plymouth and Colonel of the Horse Guards Blue.

He died at Hardwicke Grange near Shrewsbury in December 1842 and was buried in the churchyard at Hadnall.

The proposal to erect a monument in his honour was first made in the Shrewsbury Chronicle in December 1813, while he was fighting in the Pyrenees. The decision to build a column followed swiftly and the money was raised by the people of Shropshire through 1814.

The column was designed by 22-year old Edward Haycock using stone from the nearby quarries at Grinshill, with revisions, to the base only, by Thomas Harrison of Chester. The statute was made of Coade artificial stone, and was made by Mrs Coade’s firm in Lambeth.

The first stone was laid on December 27, 1814, by the Salopian Lodge of Free Masons assisted by deputies from adjoining lodges, on the festival of St John the Evangelist. The last stone was laid on 18 June, 1816, the anniversary of the battle of Waterloo. The total expense was 5,972 pounds, 13 shillings and 2 pence.

The Column is 133 feet (40.5 metres) high and is the highest free-standing Greek Doric column in England. Its diameter is two feet wider than Nelson’s Column and, not including the pedestal, it is 13 feet higher.

The statue in particular has had a number of significant repairs and the council, along with the Friends of Lord Hill Column, are now seeking support to replace it.

As owner of the Grade II* listed Lord Hill statue and The Column, Shropshire Council has a responsibility for maintaining the structure.

The Friends of Lord Hill’s Column was formed in September 2013 and now has over 2,500 Life Members. This has been achieved mainly through opening the Column on specified days so that members of the public can climb the 172 stairs to the top. This costs £5, young people and students free, and confers automatic life membership of the Friends who can climb the column free of charge thereafter.