Restoring the historic Queen Ann statue in East Sussex

We are overseeing the movement and restoration of an historic monument from Southern Housing’s Holmhurst St Mary development near Hastings, East Sussex. 

Unveiled to the public in 1713, the Queen Anne statue was designed by Francis Bird and originally installed at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. After the original was damaged, a replica was completed in 1885 by sculptor Richard Belt for the London site. The damaged original was subsequently rescued, bought and installed in Holmhurst St Mary by Victorian writer Augustus Hare. 

The statue has fallen into further disrepair over the years due to a lack of regular maintenance. Damage from overhanging trees and saline rain due to its proximity to the sea has been exacerbated by vandalism and graffiti, turning the monument into an eyesore. 

The first step in the restoration was removing the four smaller attendants at the statue’s base so scaffold could be installed around Queen Anne. A lifting beam was then used to test that the monument was free from the base, before the statue was lifted and transported to a stonemason. The renovation will include modelling five missing heads from the surviving statue at St Paul’s Cathedral and the careful removal of spray paint.  

Rob Boughton, Founder and Chief Executive of Thakeham, said: “Preserving and improving our environment and leaving a legacy for our communities is what Thakeham does and we are delighted to do that here at Holmhurst St Mary. The historic Queen Anne statue will be a fantastic feature for residents and the local community once it is fully restored and back in situ. Restoring this monument reinforces our commitment to going beyond delivering high-quality homes at our sites.” 

Luke Chandler, Director of Delivery at Southern Housing, added: “We’re incredibly proud to be working with Thakeham to restore this historic monument to its former glory, for future generations to enjoy. Celebrated for its sustainable features, Holmhurst St Mary is an 100% affordable development, which will be a great place to live. We’re delighted that the statue will be a focal point for the benefit of both our residents and the community.” 

Thakeham and Southern Housing are working together to deliver over 200 much-needed homes at Holmhurst St Mary, which will be split between affordable rent and shared ownership, with completion expected in autumn 2025. The new homes will be a combination of 31 one and two-bed apartments across two blocks and 177 two, three and four-bed family houses. The development will also feature a pocket park, providing a recreational green space for residents, along with a residential square among the new homes.