Lord Byron statue returns to Hyde Park after 60-year absence

A statue of the poet Lord Byron has been returned to Hyde Park, ending a decades-long campaign to relocate the monument. The statue, first erected in 1880, had been situated on a roundabout in the middle of Park Lane since the 1960s, when road construction severed a section of the park.

Campaign for Relocation

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The effort to move the statue back into Hyde Park was led by Geoffrey Bond, the current Lord Byron, and the Byron Society. Initial attempts by Mr Bond approximately 15 years ago were met with a response from Westminster Council stating that the relocation would be a "complex, expensive and time-consuming exercise" involving many agencies and formal consents. Despite this, the current Lord Byron and the Byron Society renewed the attempt, aiming for completion by the bicentenary of Byron's death in 2024.

A Royal Parks policy against adding new statues to Hyde Park initially presented a hurdle. This was overcome by arguing that the statue was already within the park's original boundaries, with the park having subsequently retreated from it. The project took longer than anticipated but was completed after raising the necessary funds.

Funding and Unveiling

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The total cost for the relocation and restoration project amounted to £380,000. A substantial portion of this, £230,000, was provided by a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Additional funding came from sources including the Elma Dangerfield Trust, the John Murray Family, Trinity College Cambridge, and the Heritage of London Trust, with support from the Jones Day Foundation and individual donors. PAYE Stonework and Restoration undertook the restoration work.

HRH the Duke of Gloucester attended the unveiling ceremony. He noted his personal connection to the statue, being President of the Public Statues and Sculpture Association and having previously found it difficult to view the statue in its former location while researching a book on London statues. He remarked that in its new position, the statue would prompt visitors to inquire about the poet's prominence.

New Location and Features

The restored statue is now situated near Victoria Gate in the northern part of Hyde Park, a short walk from Lancaster Gate tube station. The Royal Parks will re-landscape the garden area surrounding the statue in a Mediterranean style, chosen for its resilience to heatwaves and its association with Byron's time in Greece. A new sign has also been installed to provide information about the poet.