CONSERVATION AND RELOCATION OF LISTED STATUE AND ICONIC SCULPTURE SET

Project Overview
The bronze statue of Sir Thomas Browne created by Henry Pegram has sat on a tall granite plinth on Hay Hill, Norwich City Centre since 1905. One hundred years later, the statue was joined by a set of sculptures ‘Homage to Sir Thomas Browne’ by French artists Anne and Patrick Poirier in 2007 which marked the 400th anniversary of the local physician, philosopher and polymath.

As part of the redevelopment of Hay Hill into a new repurposed and accessible green space, Norwich City Council required Cliveden Conservation to relocate the Grade II listed statue of Sir Thomas Browne to a new position on-site and relocate the other eighteen modern black marble sculptures and a large white marble brain and eye to Eaton Park. Other elements of the project for Cliveden Conservation included removal of the graffiti, cleaning and conservation of the statue and sculptures.

Project Challenges 
Hay Hill is situated within a busy central public space and shopping thoroughfare. With no prior knowledge of the weight and fixings of the ‘Homage to Sir Thomas Browne’ set of sculptures or the bronze statue, the conservation team were presented further challenges, particularly with only pedestrianised access to the site.

Cliveden Conservation collaborated closely with the main contractor, Tarmac, to design a schedule of works to safely remove the pieces to their Norfolk workshop for cleaning and conservation treatment. The removal of the pieces needed to be carefully programmed around the main contractor’s own work schedule.

Conservation Treatment 
In the workshop environment the bronze statue of Sir Thomas Browne and plinth, now separated, were cleaned using Doff superheated steam, poultices, and other conservation cleaning techniques. Two coats of microcrystalline wax were applied to the statue before it was carefully stored away during the construction phase of Hay Hill.

The eighteen modern black marble sculptures and a large white marble brain and eye were also expertly cleaned using Doff superheated steam, poultices, and other conservation cleaning techniques.

Reinstatement and Relocation 
With all the masonry and metal elements expertly cleaned and conserved, the conservation team were ready to reinstate the statue of Sir Thomas Browne and his plinth back in a new location at Hay Hill in time for the completion of the main landscaping work.

The ‘Homage to Sir Thomas Browne’ sculpture set was carefully transported from the workshop to Eaton Park and fitted onto new concrete footings with substantial stainless steel dowel fixings.

Results
At Hay Hill, the restored Sir Thomas Browne statue now looks out over a freshly landscaped green space with a newly installed water feature at its side. Thanks to the expertise of the Cliveden Conservation team, the statue looks beautiful with the dark finish of the bronze contrasting perfectly with the pale grey granite plinth.

The ‘Homage to Sir Thomas Browne’ sculpture set which symbolise and honour the ideas of the local physician, philosopher and polymath now sit within two crescent-shaped grassy mounds and a small woodland area, with pathways designed around a quincunx shape at Eaton Park.

The whole project was delivered in a sensitive and efficient way. Cliveden Conservation collaborated closely with the main contractor, council and other key stakeholders throughout the process. The highest standards of public health and safety were adhered to whilst working in this busy city centre location.