066/06
10 May 2006
The Venus Fountain In Sloane Square Proposed For Listing
Culture Minister David Lammy today announced that he was seeking the public’s views on listing a fountain, which has strong connections to Chelsea, through both the artist and the subject matter, at Grade II.
Installed in 1953, the fountain in Sloane Square depicts Venus in a traditional classical pose and is the work of highly regarded Twentieth Century sculptor Gilbert Ledward.
David Lammy said:
“The Venus Fountain is of special interest in a national context as a beautifully executed sculpture by a prominent twentieth century sculptor. And this consultation will now allow all members of the public, including amenity bodies, architects and other specialists, the opportunity to comment on the merits of this fountain before a decision is made.”
The fountain has local connections of wider interest as Gilbert Ledward, one of an almost forgotten generation of Twentieth Century sculptors, was born in Chelsea and trained as a sculptor and later worked as professor at the Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore. A relief of Charles II and Nell Gwynn on the fountain’s basin relates to the site of a house used by Gwynn in nearby Kings Road. Gilbert Ledward undertook a variety of post-war commissions, amongst which were a memorial to the Submarine Service, commandos, and airborne forces (1948) in the cloister of Westminster Abbey, and the bronze figures of St Nicholas and St Christopher for Great Ormond Street Hospital (1952).
The fountain will have a 4 week consultation period. The public and other interested parties should forward their views to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport by 7 June 2006. It is important to note that the listing criteria only allow matters relating to a structure’s architectural and historic interest to be taken into consideration.
These should be sent to:
Diane Macfarlane
Historic Environment Designation Branch
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
2-4 Cockspur Street
London
SW1Y 5DH
Notes to Editors
1. The main purpose of listing a building is to ensure that care will be taken over decisions affecting its future, that any alterations respect the particular character and interest of the building, and that the case for its preservation is taken fully into account in considering the merits of any redevelopment proposals.
2. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (then known as the Department of National Heritage) announced in March 1995 that there would be public consultation on recommendations for listing arising from English Heritage's thematic studies of post-war and other building types. In August 1995 the Department announced that the consultation procedure would be extended to proposals to spot-list individual post-war buildings. However, the Secretary of State may take action to list a building at any time on the basis of information before her if she considers it to be under threat of alteration or demolition.
3. The following are the main criteria, as set out in Planning Policy Guidance 15 (PPG15), which the Secretary of State applies as appropriate in deciding which buildings to include in the statutory lists:
- architectural interest: the lists are meant to include all buildings which are of importance to the nation for the interest of their architectural design, decoration and craftsmanship; also important examples of particular building types and techniques (eg. Buildings displaying technological innovation or virtuosity) and significant plan forms;
- historic interest: this includes buildings which illustrate important aspects of the nation’s social, economic, cultural or military history;
- close historical associations with nationally important people or events;
- group value, especially where buildings comprise an important architectural or historic unity or a fine example of planning
Not all these criteria will be relevant to every case, but a particular building may qualify for listing under more than one of them.
4. Further details of English Heritage's recommendations can be obtained from Historic Environment Designation Branch, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2-4 Cockspur Street, London SW1Y 5DH.
Press Enquiries: 020 7211 6272
Out of hours telephone pager no: 07699 751 153
Public Enquiries: 020 7211 6200
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