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£1m needed to fix historic perimeter wall
THE Friends of Highgate Cemetery have to find around £1 million after a plea for help with rebuilding an ageing wall was turned down by Lottery chiefs.
The charity had hoped to secure a grant to help with rebuilding a Victorian perimeter wall which is collapsing, but the Heritage Lottery Fund turned it down. The charity will now have to find the cash for the work from its reserves.
Cemetery manager Simon Moore-Martin said the work was essential – sections of the wall have become dangerous and fallen onto the street in Swain’s Lane.
He added: “The increase in traffic has made it less stable. As well as its age – it was built around 1854 – road humps put in over the past four years have increased the vibrations from cars and lorries. This has made the problem get a lot worse very quickly.”
Now the Friends group, which looks after the Grade-II*-listed cemetery, is relying on donations from visitors to pay for the work.
Mr Moore-Martin added: “We desperately need help. The money is coming from our budget and it is a lot to find.”
The section that needs to be repaired runs from the top of the Swain’s Lane entrance to the east cemetery round to the south entrance in Chester Road, opposite Highgate Library.
Work started last year and will stretch well into 2007, says Mr Moore-Martin. So far, 36 metres have been completed, 106 metres are being worked on, and there are still 658 metres left to go.
Mr Moore-Martin added: “It is expensive work. We are trying to salvage as many of the bricks we can, while we are taking the railings away to be re-cast.” |
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