High Wycombe Red Lion Statue Restored With New Tail and Leg
As the summer season winds down across the United Kingdom, High Wycombe’s iconic red lion statue perched above the former Red Lion Hotel on the High Street has received a brand-new tail and rear leg during its fourth major restoration, according to regional reporting by the BBC. The wooden landmark, originally sculpted in the 1950s by Frank Hudson, suffered extensive weather damage on all sides, necessitating targeted carpentry work to combat wet rot and preserve local heritage.
For local sculptor Colin Mantripp, who undertook the painstaking manual labor over the course of a week in the intense sun, the project represents a familiar duty. Mantripp, a wood carver from the town whose grandfather originally crafted the piece, stated that he felt an obligation to look after the structure. He previously restored the pine structure after the Great Storm of 1987 blew it down—re-carving more than 45 percent of it—and again in 2002 following acts of vandalism, alongside a subsequent renovation in 2017 spurred by local preservation campaigns.
The Anatomy of a Landmark Renovation
The latest intervention cost about 3,000 pounds and proved significantly more complex than anticipated due to pervasive moisture damage. During the week-long project, numerous passers-by stopped to praise the craftsmanship in a variety of different languages.
Maintenance Realities Versus Quick Fixes
The core vulnerability of the High Wycombe lion lies in ongoing exposure to the elements rather than structural design flaws, according to the sculptor’s assessment. Mantripp noted that if the wooden structure were regularly painted and maintained, it would not require such extensive overhauls, expressing hope that the latest intervention will hold firm for at least another four years before requiring further attention.
As the red lion resumes its watch over the Buckinghamshire high street—where Winston Churchill notably delivered a speech next to a previous iteration of the statue in 1945—the focus shifts from immediate carpentry to long-term asset preservation.
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