The Byron Society secures funding to relocate and restore a statue of Lord Byron in London
London: The Byron Society just scored a big win! They got a grant of £230,280 to save a statue of the famous poet Lord Byron. This statue has been sitting on a traffic island in Westminster, and it’s about time it gets a better home.
The money comes from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, which is awesome. The plan is to move the statue to a spot near Hyde Park’s Victoria Gate, where more people can actually see it. It was put up back in 1880 and made by sculptor Richard Belt, sitting on a fancy marble pedestal.
This statue is special because it’s inspired by a line from Byron’s poem, “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage.” It shows him with his dog, Boatswain, and it’s been a part of Hyde Park since Queen Victoria gave the go-ahead for it.
But here’s the kicker: over the years, changes to the traffic layout made it hard for folks to get to the statue. So, this project isn’t just about moving it; it’s also about getting people excited about Byron again.
The Byron Society has some cool plans, like creating digital resources for students and even a walking tour called ‘Byron in London.’ The current Lord Byron, who’s the president of the society, is super grateful for the support they’ve received.
They’ve also raised over £162,000 from private donors, which is fantastic. It’s great to see people coming together to celebrate such an important figure in literature!
