Conservation prize for Southampton’s Pride of Lions

Bargate Lions scoop win at Public Statues and Sculpture Association (PSSA) awards

On Thursday 24 November 2022 it was announced that in recognition of the careful conservation of the Bargate Lions, Rupert Harris Conservation was awarded the PSSA Marsh Award for 'Excellence in the conservation of a public sculpture'. 

For more than 275 years, the Bargate Lions have stood guard over the medieval gateway to Southampton. In 2020, Southampton City Council’s Culture & Tourism Service commissioned Rupert Harris Conservation Ltd, a world class Conservator of metalwork and sculpture, to carry out the work.

Working closely with the Council’s Monuments and Memorials Officer, preparation for the conservation work involved forensic analysis of the many coats of paint to discover the original colour scheme. The lions were then subjected to keyhole surgery, which allowed the removal of their rusting sub-structures and replacement with stainless-steel skeletons. Cracks were then carefully welded shut, a tail was reattached, and the lions repainted.

The lions were restored back to their original colours from when they were first created in 1743, with bright, life-like colours that were the fashion in the mid-eighteenth century. After they had been made by sculptor John Cheere, they had buff-coloured bodies, dark pink mouths and tongues, off-white teeth, and black claws. The metal flag poles they carried were painted dark brown to look like wood.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Satvir Kaur said:

“Our Bargate Lions are an emblematic symbol of city pride in Southampton, and now they are also award winning! Congratulations to Rupert Harris Conservation Ltd and our Cultural & Tourism team for making this happen and on achieving this fantastic accolade. A huge amount of research and care went into ensuring the Bargate Lions were returned to their former glory and now look as they did when visitors such as Jane Austen and Queen Victoria passed through our historic Bargate.

“As a Council we want to make Southampton a destination place, which includes investing in our heritage and working tirelessly all year round to preserve it, so it can continue to tell our city’s stories for generations to come.”

Conservator Rupert Harris comments:

“It was a privilege to work on these important historic objects on behalf of Southampton City Council, and we are honoured to receive such a prestigious award.”

Find out more about the PSSA awards.