A NATIONAL Trust site near Worcester has restored and returned an historic urn to its parkland.
After many years of neglect, an urn which was built as a memorial to George William 6th Earl of Coventry, has been returned to its plinth in Croome, thanks to funding from raffle ticket sales.
Over the years, the urn succumbed to the elements and fell from its pedestal in the parkland’s Home Shrubbery.
But when the National Trust began restoration work in the area in 2007, the urn was discovered in pieces hidden amongst the undergrowth.
Cliveden Conservation were then commissioned to undertake the intricate restoration project, which saw them rescue, marry together and re-use many fragments of the urn’s lower and upper bowl sections.
But some missing pieces had to be hand carved using oolitic limestone from Bath.
Katherine Alker, Croome’s garden and park manager, said: “It’s wonderful to see the 6th Earl’s urn, which I last saw in about 50 pieces, repaired and back on its pedestal in the Home Shrubbery.
“The 6th Earl created the beautiful landscape at Croome in the 1700s. It’s right this memorial to him is back on display.”
Tom Flemons, Cliveden Conservation workshop manager, said: “The urn had been all but lost in the Croome wilderness.
“The pedestal was standing but only just. It was wrapped in vegetation and undermined by root growth.
“The urn itself had long ago fallen with fragments and was all but buried in the surrounding soil.
“The National Trust archaeologist recovered and recorded the fragments, as the jigsaw began to piece together.”
Croome’s park and lakeside are open from 10am to 5.30pm and Croome Court is open from 11am to 4.30pm every day.
Call the National Trust site on 01905 371006 or visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/croome for more information.
