The 19th Century was a great age for public parks and monuments. Monuments were put up for all sorts of reasons from pets to war heroes to historical monuments. Many have been allowed to decay and require substantial renovation, often requiring removal, dismantling, renovation and re-erection. A coat of paint is not the solution.

Monuments cover all sorts of structures, stone towers, statuary, fountains, buildings, plaques, view points, bridges, gardens and so on. Almost all of them have cast iron features as an integral part of the structure, hence our interest!

The Victorian parks were all beautifully laid out with expensive flora, bandstands and statuary. To protect them and to enhance them, they all had ornamental cast iron fencing and gates which were almost 100% removed for the war effort. With substantial Government, local authority and lottery funding, our current City Fathers are replacing them to rediscover their beauty and prestige. One of a city’s great attractions is its parks; what would New York be without Central Park?

Churches are also going through a period of renovation. This work mainly relates to crestings, replacement of ornamental floor gratings and the ubiquitous gates and railings.