Queen Square Obelisk 1982

 

The Queen Square obelisk records the visit of Frederick, Prince of Wales. He never lived to be king. The three men who made the greatest impact on the Georgian city built this obelisk 1729-1736. It was designed by John Wood and paid for by Beau Nash. The stone was donated by Ralph Allen, Early in my stone masonry apprenticeship  (1975)  with  the Bath and Portland stone Firms I made stones for the base of the  obelisk. Later in 1982 I was able to apply methods I had learned at Wells Cathedral using lime. I replaced stones near the top of the obelisk but I made them appear aged so they do not show like the first stone I made.

The photo  

right has been changed to show how the obelisk might have looked when new. It  was reduced in height after a storm in 1815 and originally rose out of a circular pool.