Queen Victoria makes a great city comeback
WAKEFIELD'S first lady is back in pride of place in a new civic home after a having a makeover.
The historic statue of Queen Victoria was moved from her former home in the Bull Ring in October last year to make way for the controversial new fountain.
On Wednesday, the Grade II listed statue was winched into place in her new home in Castrop Rauxel Square in Wakefield's civic quarter, outside County Hall.
Before deciding on her new home, Wakefield Council consulted the public, both as part of the Bull Ring design consultation and to get listed building consent to relocate the statue.
The statue was first unveiled in the Bull Ring in 1905, before moving to Clarence Park in 1950. It then returned to the city centre in 1985.
Coun Denise Jeffery, deputy leader of Wakefield Council with responsibility for regeneration, said: "I am really pleased Queen Victoria is back in the city centre where she belongs.
"The new home in Castrop Rauxel Square is part of the civic quarter and an appropriate historic location for such a historic statue."
Specialist repair and conservation work was carried out on the statue during her year out of the public eye at the Lincoln-shire workshops of specialist conservation contractor Hirst Conservation.
She has been surveyed in detail, repaired where needed, cleaned, waxed and polished.
Work was also carried out by the contractors on the Bull Ring scheme, Jackson Civil Engineering, to create new foundations for the statue in Castrop Rauxel Square, ready for the Queen's return.
The statue plinth is located towards the junction of Gill's Yard and Rishworth Street at the point where a coat of arms was previously in place marking the links with Wakefield's twin town of Castrop Rauxel.
As part of city centre regeneration, that coat of arms was removed and replaced in the centre of the square with a high quality, better designed version in granite and sandstone.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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