In the grounds of Crystal Palace, south London, a collection of dinosaur sculptures dating back to 1854 is among the heritage sites to receive new funding, as announced by the UK’s National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The total funding, worth over £24 million, will be used to fund projects in locations across the country.
The grounds of Crystal Palace alone will receive nearly £5million. Although the representations offered by the sculptures are now known to be inaccurate, at the time they were built they were based on “the best knowledge” available, says Tom Bardwell, a curator who conducts appraisals on the site.
Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of the Heritage Fund, explains that “these dinosaurs…have been at risk for many years; today we are truly embarking on a major restoration.”
