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Hope returns to Arnos Vale Cemetery
Hope has returned to Arnos Vale Cemetery after the Victorian monument was damaged in a storm in 2021.
Volunteer Alan Bambury collaborated with The Friends of Arnos Vale and Bath City College to repair and restore the memorial for Anne Neilson, who died in 1890.
During the storm it was dislodged from its plinth, causing parts of masonry to break.
is needed now More than ever
Since 2022 students of the stone masonry course at Bath City College, led by Paul Maggs and Steve Shute, have carefully cleaned and restored Hope to its former glory.
The team of volunteers stand in front of the monument after restoring it
The significance of this monument is owed to its renowned symbolism, exceptional craftsmanship and community connection.
The monument represents hope portrayed as a woman leaning against an anchor, an ancient Christian symbol of Christ’s anchoring influence.
The virtues of faith and hope, depict dedication to faith, and a hope of eternal life in heaven- a comforting message of hope to those left behind.
Restoring the monument is a skilled job owing to the age and material of the statue
While the restoration is a joyous occasion, it is tinged with sadness as Alan passed away before the works were completed at the end of the summer.
In Alan’s memory, Arnos Vale Cemetery volunteers have supported the completion of this complex restoration and celebrated Hope’s return when it was successfully re-instated upright on its plinth in the Combe Bottom area of the Cemetery, close to Mary Carpenter’s grave.
Hope returns to Arnos Vale Cemetery
All photos: Kate Humphrey
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