Monday 9 Aug 2010
CROSS AT LONDON’S HEART RESTORED FOR THE WORLD
- Region & Route:
- | Southern
A ten-month project to repair and restore the 145 year-old Eleanor Cross on the forecourt of Charing Cross station has been completed, safeguarding the historic landmark for future generations.
The condition of the Eleanor Cross, the original of which historically marked the centre of London, had been in deterioration over the years as weather and pollution took their toll on the stone monument. Owing to its vulnerable condition, it was placed on the English Heritage At Risk Register in 2008, so a plan of action could be identified.
Robert Thornton, Network Rail’s principal architect, said: “London is a railway city. Since it arrived in the capital in 1836, communities and businesses have relied on rail to go about their daily lives and support the economy, which remains the case today. The Eleanor Cross represents part of London’s railway history, is a well-established landmark in the West End and something that should be preserved for future generations of residents and visitors.”
Timothy Jones, English Heritage team leader for Westminster and West London, said: “Monuments such as the memorial cross at Charing Cross are a hugely important component of London’s heritage – an invaluable part of the city’s personality and interest – which allow visitors and Londoners alike a glimpse into the capital’s long, complex and fascinating history. Although not one of the original crosses created by Edward l for his beloved wife, Eleanor of Castile, this Victorian recreation is a fine example of architect EM Barry’s work, and we are delighted to see it so beautifully and carefully restored, and happily, it can now be removed from our Heritage at Risk Register.”
Chris Gladwell, associate director, PAYE, added: “It has been a pleasure to work on a structure of such high quality craftsmanship, and we are grateful that Network Rail gave us this opportunity. The skills needed to carry out intricate carved work to this standard are still available, but it is only through the continued training provided by institutions such as the City and Guilds of London Art School, where many of the masons trained, together with the support of clients committed to quality that this can be carried forward into the future.”
The restoration work started in October 2009, although scaffolding has been set up around the monument for almost five years for inspection and safety purposes. The first phase was to clean the entire monument using a combination of steam and a fine spray of water to remove dirt and debris without damaging the stone. Once the monument was clean, a detailed inspection was carried out to plan the restoration work.
Repairs to the eight-sided structure were carried out by specialist stone contractors PAYE Stonework & Restoration. They included recreating and attaching almost 100 missing ornamental features including heraldic shields, an angel, pinnacles, crockets and finials; securing weak or fractured masonry with stainless steel pins and rods and re-attaching decorative items which had previously been removed after becoming loose.
The restoration was a complex piece of work. Owing to the age, condition and intricacy of the monument, much of the work had to be carried out using hand tools. Furthermore, the Red Mansfield stone used on the original monument is no longer quarried, so alternative materials needed to be researched to fine the best match.
Notes to editors
Network Rail, which owns the Eleanor Cross, contracted Ove Arup & Partners, B&M McHugh and PAYE to deliver the work. English Heritage and Westminster council were also consulted throughout the planning and delivery of the project.
Further restoration details:
- A deep clean was carried out using a DOFF steam cleaning system, which uses high-pressure to remove the build-up of dirt and debris. Once the deep clean had been completed, a fine spray of water was then used to clean the entire monument.
- Corsehill Sandstone was identified as the best match for the original Red Mansfield stone which is no longer quarried. Corsehill stone has also been used at St Pancras station and the Hippodrome in Leicester Square.
The quantity of carved work replaced was extensive and included 65 crockets, 20 ornate pinnacles and finials, 6 heraldic shields, 1 angel and over 120 other indents.
- Crocket - a hook-shaped decorative element, often in the style of curled leaves, buds or flowers
- Finial - normally carved in stone and would be used to emphasise sides or corners of a building or structure
- Pinnacle - looks like a small spire and would typically be used on top of a buttress, small turret or parapet.
All three ornamental features are commonly found in gothic architecture.
In addition, all cementitous repairs and pointing carried out during previous phases of repair were removed and replaced with more sympathetic lime based materials.
History of the Eleanor Cross:
- Originally 12 Eleanor Crosses were built between 1291 and 1294 in memory of King Edward I’s wife Eleanor of Castile. The crosses were placed at the nightly resting places the funeral procession had taken on its journey from Lincoln to Westminster Abbey where she was buried
- In 1647, the original Whitehall cross in central London was demolished by order of Parliament
- The original Eleanor Cross was situated on the south side of Trafalgar Square, where a statue of King Charles I now stands. This is the point where all mileage distances on road signs to London are measured to today
- In 1865, a replica was commissioned by the South Eastern Railway to mark the opening of the Charing Cross Hotel
- The replica Eleanor Cross was designed by E M Barry, who also designed the hotel, and was constructed by Thomas Earp
- The 70ft monument was originally built from Portland and Mansfield Stone and Aberdeen Granite
- The replica has significantly more detail than the original and is considered by many to be to be one of the most ornately carved monuments in the country.
About Charing Cross station:
Charing Cross was opened in 1864 and was the product of the South East Railway's need to extend westward from London Bridge to get its passengers from Kent right into the heart of London.
Now, over 37m people pass through London Charing Cross station every year.
History chronology
- The original station at Charing Cross was opened on 11 January 1864 by the South East Railway (SER), which subsequently became the South East and Chatham Railway (SECR)
- The Charing Cross Hotel opened on 15 May 1865 and was later extended in 1878. Two further top floors were added in 1952
- The original station roof collapsed on 5 December 1905 and was rebuilt two years Embankment Place offices were completed in 1992
- The concourse roof was reglazed in 1998
- The forecourt wall, railings and gates were reintroduced in the 1990s and were sponsored by Westminster City Council. This formed a part of the major upgrade of The Strand.
Station design
- The original roof was designed by Sir John Hawkshaw and comprises a single span, trussed arch with wrought iron tie rods. The roof was 164ft wide by 510ft long.
- During maintenance work, this roof collapsed on 5 December 1905 and was rebuilt in 1907 of transverse ridge and furrow construction, and is the same size as the original.
- Embankment Place was designed by Terry Farrell and Partners.
- The Charing Cross Hotel was designed by Edward Middleton Barry.
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