Cast Ironwork Restoration

Pontypool and Abersychan Joint War Memorial gates and railings

Fine Iron were asked to repair and restore these large memorial gates, with a deadline for them to be installed in time for Pontypool’s Armistice day ceremony.

The decorative cast and wrought iron gates and railings were made in 1924, but had unfortunately shattered into over 300 pieces when a tree blew down on them during a storm. 

Ironwork Restoration

As the damage to the ironwork was extensive, certain elements required re casting and re forging, however, as always great care was taken to repair as much of the original ironwork as possible.

Fortunately amongst the salvageable pieces were the original memorial plaques and the crest/shield albeit they required some TLC. The bronze memorial plaques required some straightening and some lettering needed replacing, whilst this was being done the opportunity was taken to add ‘MM’ after the name of a Corporal Albert Arthur Webb who had been awarded the Military Medal.  

 One of the curved sections of cast iron railings were unfortunately beyond repair and new patterns were made using details from the original railings were used as masters to help create the opposite-hand curved section.

The main gated themselves were heavily damaged with much of the decorative features needing to be recreated including the many scrolls which were hand-forged in our workshops.

Once works were complete the ironwork was painted in black with certain decorative elements being highlighted with gold paint.

The final result

Fine Iron delivered and installed the gates on schedule, in good time for the Armistice day ceremony, which included the official opening of the new gates and railings and our Director Lee was honoured to be invited to attend by the then Mayor of Pontypool Cllr Gwyneira Clark.