Restoration of the historic Viewing Platform in Highbury Park

Work is well underway to restore the historic Viewing Platform in Highbury Park.

The Viewing Platform was created in 1890 and was part of the ornate gardens of Highbury Hall. It was from this vantage point that Joseph Chamberlain was able to view his ornate gardens, looking down to the main pond that still exists today.

Last August, the platform was completely destroyed by vandals. However, a friend and I, using two wheelbarrows, were able to rescue most of the damaged stonework and hide it elsewhere in the park. This stopped the ornate stonework being damaged any further.

My blog entry, with photos of the damage, can be read at http://martinmullaney.blogspot.com/2011/08/one-of-highbury-parks-historic-features.html

Last week, the entire Viewing Platform was lifted out and along with all the rescued stonework transported to a stone masons in Shropshire. The Viewing Platform will be reconstructed there, with damaged stone work repaired and new stone blocks constructed when none exist.

In the meantime, the foundations of the Viewing Platform are being made good. Laurel bush trunks that were undermining the platform and the rocky outcrop that it rests on, have now been carefully cut out. A concrete base has been laid down for the return of the Viewing Platform.

I attach photos of the Viewing Platform over the last few weeks.

Later this week, I hope to have photos showing the restoration process at the stone masons.

We are aiming to get the View Platform by the end of March.