Northampton's 'crumbling' Eleanor Cross repairs delayed

Northampton's Eleanor Cross has been assessed by experts after falling into a poor state

Repairs to a 13th Century monument, erected by King Edward I in memory of his wife, will be delayed.

The Eleanor Cross on London Road, Northampton, has fallen into a poor state, and campaigners have argued for urgent work before winter.

Historic England and Northampton Borough Council have now got an action plan.

The council said experts have advised that lime mortar work is "most durable" when done between April and September.

Campaigners said the monument would "continue to crumble" without urgent repairs

Mike Ingram, who has led a campaign to get the cross repaired, said: "This is not good enough. We know in the recent meeting they had, the option to protect the cross from the weather over winter was discussed, so why has it not been taken up?

"In the meantime our cross continues to crumble."

Northampton's monument is one of only three remaining Eleanor Crosses built by King Edward I.

Queen Eleanor died near Lincoln in 1290, and the king constructed 12 crosses to mark each of the places her funeral cortege stopped its way to London.

'Considered and informed'

Specialists said iron fittings, which hold the monument together, were last waterproofed in the 1980s and have begun to decay.

The council said stainless steel replacements would be fitted in line with Historic England's guidelines to preserve the monument.

A council spokesman added a structural engineer had confirmed no work was required before winter.

Northampton's Eleanor Cross is one of three remaining crosses built by King Edward I

Tim Hadland, borough council member for regeneration, said: "There is an appetite in some quarters for this work to be carried out more quickly, but we are following a considered and informed approach.

"Undertaking the work during the winter months could result in failure of the repairs and the need to undertake the works again in a short space of time."