Historic city memorials to be given £11,000 makeover

The Grade II listed statue of the 1st Marquess of Ripon that stands at the entrance to Ripon Spa Gardens and the First and Second World War Memorial, which is also based in the park, will be restored in a bid to conserve the memorials and highlight their historical significance.

The names of the men who gave their lives will be re-lettered on the war memorial and work to the Marquess of Ripon statue will see the bronze fully cleaned and its patina restored.

Spearheaded by Friends of the Spa Gardens, the project has been made possible after the group and Harrogate Council secured a £9,200 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Friends secured the rest of the funding from organisations including the War Memorials’ Trust, Ripon City Council and Econ Engineering Ltd.

Overseen by Harrogate Council’s parks team and the principal conservation officer, It is hoped the war memorial will be restored in time for this year’s Remembrance Sunday service.

Both memorials will be completed in November and the Friends plan to have a ceremony to mark their restoration on November 21.