Historic England has awarded a grant of £350,000 towards the repair of Wellington Monument, the world’s largest triangular obelisk and one of the West Country’s best-loved landmarks.

This grant is contributing to the National Trust’s ongoing £3.45 million restoration of the monument which started in October 2019.

Historic England granted £250,000 in February 2018, offering a further £100,000 in November 2019. This will help enable all the necessary repairs to be carried out in one phase while the custom-designed scaffolding is in place.

The monument is now fully scaffolded and preparations are being made for repairs to begin in the spring. Repairs will include replacement of failing stonework, re-grouting and the use of mechanical ties to help secure the front-facing stones.

Historic England and the National Trust have been working together to repair the monument since 2015. As well as offering grant funding, Historic England has provided advice and technical support for the complex project which is set to be completed by spring 2021. By then, the entire structure will have been repaired and the National Trust hopes visitors will once again be able to climb up the internal spiral staircase right to the top.

Wellington Monument commemorates the Duke of Wellington’s victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. Work began on the 175-foot high structure, the largest stone pillar in the UK and the world’s largest triangular obelisk, in 1817. It was completed in 1854 shortly after the Duke’s death.

Due to its poor condition, the Grade II* listed building was placed on the Heritage at Risk Register in 2016. The monument will be removed from the register when the repairs are successfully completed.

Rebecca Barrett, regional director at Historic England in the South-West, said: “We’re delighted to support the repair of Wellington Monument with this grant. It’s a remarkable structure – a reminder of an important moment in history, as well as a marker in the landscape much admired by locals and visitors to the South-West.

“We’re pleased to play our part in repairing the monument, protecting it for future generations to enjoy and ultimately securing its removal from our Heritage at Risk Register.”

National Trust project manager Helen Sharp said: “We’re very grateful for the support of Historic England, this grant plays a vital role in the repair and protection of Wellington Monument for future generations. Wellington Monument is a much-loved landmark – it’s treasured by the local community and a familiar sight to all who travel through the area. The monument is particularly attention-grabbing at the moment as it’s shrouded in around eight miles of scaffolding, ready for work to begin in earnest once spring arrives.”

MP for Taunton Deane Rebecca Pow said: “This Historic England grant is a tremendous boost for the Wellington Monument restoration project. It will bring the project a step closer to completion. The monument is an iconic symbol in the South-West, internationally recognised as an historic treasure and is a much-loved local landmark.”