King Alfred statue wash and wax
Winchester’s iconic statue of King Alfred the Great is enjoying a wash and wax behind its very own ‘shower curtain’.
The 5-metre-tall bronze sculpture stands on a large stone plinth at the top of the Broadway in Winchester and features in many images promoting the city. It was created by sculptor Hamo Thornycroft to mark the 1,000th anniversary of Alfred’s death and it was unveiled in 1901.
The statue is cleaned and receives a new protective coat of wax every seven to ten years to prevent the metal from deteriorating.
The 2015 work is being carried out by Laurence Flood of Bronze Restorations Ltd. The £4,425 project is funded by Winchester City Council and will take just a few days.
Alfred was King of the West Saxons (AD 871-899). Winchester was his capital and the street layout of the present-day city was established during his reign. The dedication on the sculpture is to: “The Founder of the Kingdom and the Nation.”