Wooden arch to be reinstalled after £50,000 repair

The wooden arch sculpture was removed for urgent repairs after extreme weathering

A city's damaged wooden landmark could be reinstalled next month after urgent and costly repairs were carried out.

The Peterborough Arch at Thorpe Meadows overlooked the Longthorpe Parkway for 34 years, before it was removed in 2022 for safety reasons.

The 4m (13ft) high artwork, carved from iroko wood, has been restored by heritage experts Hall Conservation Ltd, whose work included drying out of the wood, repairing damage, and varnishing.

Nene Park Trust said restoration costs exceeded £50,000 and were funded by the National Lottery, the Henry Moore Foundation and Arts Council England. It also received £3K in public donations, including from Peterborough Civic Society.

Peterborough Arch sculpture is being restored at the conservators, Hall Conservation Ltd

The sculpture was commissioned in the 1980s by Peterborough Development Corporation, and was created by Essex-born artist Lee Grandjean.

The arch was originally installed as a gateway to the city, because it overlooked the area before the surrounding trees obscured the view.

The statue is part of the Peterborough Sculpture Collection, which was created when Peterborough was being developed as a new town.

Last year, a campaign was launched to raise money for urgent repairs and save the wooden arch.

Nene Park Trust previously said the city's sculpture collection had an "important role to play in restoring and preserving Peterborough's cultural heritage".

This week, the charity said it was pleased to see the ongoing repair works were on track and it hoped the landmark could be returned to its home at Thorpe Meadows at the end of October.

The exact date is yet to be confirmed, a spokesperson for the trust said.

The repair work included drying out of the wood, repairing damaged wood, and varnishing