Restored Spalding War Memorial is unveiled
A unique war memorial will be back to its proud best for this weekend’s Remembrance Sunday commemorations after undergoing a major renovation project.
Scaffolding surrounded Spalding War Memorial for much of the summer while this distinctive structure was lovingly restored to ensure it survives for another 100 years.
Names of the men who died during the First World War have been re-painted while a traditional lime wash has replaced the water damaged concrete render in the £200,000 project.
South Holland District Council officially unveiled the restored memorial during a ceremony on Tuesday (November 4).
Coun Henry Bingham, who is portfolio holder for assets and has been heavily involved in the project, cut the ribbon with Coun Liz Sneath and council leader, Coun Nick Worth.
He said: “It looks amazing and it was an honour to unveil it. The work carried out has been fantastic.”
During his speech Coun Bingham said: “This beautiful monument has stood here for over a hundred years, offering a place of reflection and remembrance for all.
“It holds a special place in the hearts of people in Spalding and South Holland, and thanks to the care and dedication of everyone involved in this project, it will now stand proudly for another hundred more.”
Sir Edwin Lutyens, the architect behind the national Cenotaph, was commissioned to design the memorial in Ayscoughfee Gardens and it is thought to have been a template for the Imperial War Graves in Europe.
Concerns had been raised in recent years about the appearance of the war memorial.
Standing water had created a number of issues for the war memorial so one of the important jobs was creating better drainage to prevent future problems.
Along with stripping away the render, craftsmen also removed and numbered the pantiles from the roof and replaced a damaged beam.
The project also restored the herringbone flooring within the Grade I listed structure structure. The names and flags were also repainted.
One of the people behind the project was Marc Whelan, Strategic Operational and Property Manager.
He said: “I think this is the culmination of a lot of hard work to realise how truly special this is for Spalding and the surrounding area and how how much it means to the residents. I am really proud of that.
“I hope that people will be impressed when they see it.”
This work had most definitely impressed the crowd of people who gathered after the ceremony to look at the names of the servicemen.
Coun Worth said: “One of the biggest things for me is that the names can be clearly seen now.
“I think it is fantastic what they have done.
“To me this is a real legacy for the people of Spalding.”
Coun Liz Sneath read a poem during the ceremony, which included a performance by a bugler.
A talk by Lutyens expect Tim Skelton will be sharing the story behind Spalding War Memorial in a talk at 7.30pm tonight in Spalding’s Baptist Church in Swan Street.
Veterans and other community groups will be gathering in Spalding Market Place on Remembrance Sunday before processing towards Ayscoughfee Hall Gardens for the ceremony at 11am.