Was in bad shape last time I saw it. Wonder if they will restore it back to its original gold colour......
The document states:
The proposed works to the ‘Gothic’ Prospect Tower comprise the conservation repair of the White Hollington sandstone masonry and cast-iron structure; the specialist removal of modern paint finishes and re-decoration (inside & out); overhauling & replacing timber doors & windows; renewing the lead work domed- roof capping/flashing; repairing the ground level paved area; and the reinstatement of the decorative cast-iron railings to the first and second floor balconies. It does not, however, include the reinstatement of the decoratively carved Gothic stone ‘cusped and crocketted’ ogee roof canopy hoods (see fig.3) as it is felt that there is insufficient archive information, or archaeology to accurately reproduce these and that the cost would be disproportionately prohibitive in the wider programme of repairs for the whole structure.
The design of the proposed/reinstated Gothic cast-iron railings has been derived from an historic 1940’s photograph (fig.3), prior to the removal of the metalwork presumably for the war effort.
Currently the tower is lacking doors to the first and second floor doorway openings. However, it is clear that these openings originally featured doors as the original iron hinge pins survive. Inspection of the existing ground floor door has revealed that the three upper infill panels were once glazed, but have since been replaced with a timber infill and that the panels were decorated with applied Gothic moulded details (figs.5 & 6). It is proposed that the ground floor door is repaired to match existing, but that the solid timber infill panels be retained for security reasons. The first and second floor doors, however, will be constructed to match the existing ground floor door, and will feature clear toughened glass glazing panels as these will be less accessible by the general public.
The redecoration of the building will see a return to a red and cream colour scheme similar to that in the 1990’s (fig.7), but with reference to the original, earliest, colour scheme using a deep ‘Pugin Red’ and stone colour, subject top specialist paint analysis and further research. Although originally it is likely that the cast-ironwork featured gold leaf ‘gilding’, there is little documentation to suggest where this may have been used, therefore these current proposals do not include the use of gilding.
