MONUMENTS & STRUCTURES
Project: The Australia Gate
Client: The Royal Parks
Principle Contractor: Vinci Facilities
The Australia Gate is one of the Dominion Gates that form a vast memorial scheme in front of Buckingham Palace, commemorating the death of Queen Victoria. This ceremonial gate, designed by Sir Aston Webb, was presented by Australia to the United Kingdom as a tribute to Queen Victoria. The Memorial was formally unveiled by King George V in 1911. The gates, piers, balustrades and retaining walls of the Memorial Gardens are all protected landmarks.
Barwin have cleaned and maintained this iconic gate for a number of years using Stonehealth’s DOFF system, this is based on a 5 year term contract with The Royal Parks. The gates are situated in a very busy public area and many precautions must be made. The works are usually carried out from a cherry picker, early in the morning to avoid busy periods before the rush hour, with the traffic management in place. Paths closures and road restrictions have to be put in place, as public safety is of the up-most importance.
Project: Hyde Park Corner Screen, London
Client: The Royal Parks
The Hyde Park Corner Screen located at Hyde Park Corner next to Apsley House was designed in 1825 by Decimus Burton. It was constructed between 1826 – 29 and forms a grand exit from the Park on the ceremonial route to Buckingham Palace. The gate is thirty-three meter (107 ft.) wide with three arches connected by an Ionic colonnade. Each of the side arches is abutted with a flat arched opening and pedestrian gate. All arches have ornamental cast iron gates opening to the Park. The main arch has smaller gates on the outside. The colonnade screens are fronted by decorative arrowhead cast iron railings on both sides. It is Grade I Listed.
- Dry grit blasting to remove all coatings and contaminants from the vehicle gates and pedestrian gate
- Preparation and redecoration of the gates in accordance with Hempel paint system specifications
- Application of an additional two top coats of SC329 bronze green.
Project: The Bomber Command Memorial, London
Client: Serco / RAF
The Bomber Command Memorial was designed by architect Liam O’Connor and was built using Portland stone. Within the memorial are the bronze sculptures of a Bomber Command aircrew.
Barwin are responsible for daily cleaning and upkeep of the monument. We also carry out annual sanitation, gutter, lighting and roof checks, as well as comprehensive cleaning of bronze and stonework every 5 years.
On Friday, 31 May 2013, Barwin successfully removed near indelible graffiti from the vandalised monument. Due to the delicate nature of the Portland stone, the removal of graffiti paint has taken over 4 days to complete. Barwin used Stonehealth’s DOFF machine and carefully selected products from Chela.
Project: The Buxton Memorial Fountain
Client: The Royal Parks
The Buxton Memorial Fountain is a memorial and drinking fountain that commemorates the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834. It was designed by Gothic architect Samuel Sanders Teulon (1812–1873) in 1865. Originally constructed in Parliament Square. It was removed in 1949 and not reinstated in its present position in Victoria Tower Gardens until 1957. There were eight decorative figures of British rulers on it, but four were stolen in 1960 and four in 1971. They were replaced by fibreglass figures in 1980. By 2005 these were also missing, and the fountain was no longer working. Between autumn 2006 and February 2007 restoration works were carried out. The restored fountain was unveiled on 27 March 2007 as part of the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the act to abolish the slave trade.
The base is octagonal, about twelve feet in diameter, having open arches on the eight sides, supported on clustered shafts of polished Devonshire marble around a large central shaft, with four massive granite basins. Surmounting the pinnacles at the angles of the octagon are eight figures of bronze, representing the different rulers of England.
Barwin carried out a thorough DOFF steam system cleaningof all surfaces, removing dirt and residue from traffic.
Project: The Albert Memorial, Kensington Gardens, London
Client: Taylor Woodrow / The Royal Parks
The Albert Memorial was commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her husband, Prince Albert and opened in July 1872. The Memorial is 176 feet (54 m) tall and it is one of the grandest high-Victorian gothic extravaganzas designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott.
Following restoration in 1990s the Memorial had fallen into a state of some decay. Barwin undertook stone repairs of the Memorial and extensive DOFF system cleaning of the gilded statue of Albert; all stone floor surfaces; 4 marble figures representing Europe, Asia, Africa and America standing at each corner of the memorial; as well as further 4 figures representing manufacture, commerce, agriculture and engineering higher up. The eight bronze statues of the angels and virtues near the top were patinated and a protective coating of Renaissance Wax was applied to prevent deterioration from moisture and air exposure.
Project: Diana Fountain, Bushey Park, London
Client: The Royal Parks
The Grade I listed sculpted fountain, set in the Great Basin at Bushy Park, is a gilt bronze statue of goddess (sometimes described as Arethusa) on a marble and stone fountain, surrounded by bronzes of four boys, four water nymphs and four shells. Originally created for Somerset House in the 1630s, and remodelled about 1690, the fountain has stood since 1713 in Bushy Park, and now forms a large traffic island in Chestnut Avenue.
Barwin undertook the maintenance works. The Arethusa sculpture was cleaned and polished using a very light cloth to remove any potential harmful debris. 12 bronze statues were cleaned with environmentally friendly solution, rinsed with water and dried with chamois leather. Two coats of renaissance wax were applied and buffed by hand with soft cloths.
