In 1897 a fever swept the nation. Jubilee-fever. Celebrations for Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee lit up England and the world. Parties were held on every street from Norwich to Newcastle; a chain of beacons ignited Britain and revelry reigned.
Throughout the year, civic works were erected across the globe, from memorial fountains in the Maldives to municipal clocks in Manchester. In Shrewsbury, the people had a very special coronation of their own. They crowned their best building to show their pride.
Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings epitomises the Victorian age. The first iron-framed building in the world - a gas-lit, steam powered wonder; it was a place of revolution and innovation.
122 years on, the cast iron crown atop the Flaxmill Maltings is in need of care. The iron-work is fractured, the paint work peeling. The crowning glory of Shropshire’s industrial past is fading fast.
With your help, we can restore the Jubilee Crown to its former glory, taking pride of place high above the rooftops of the town. We need £26,000 to carefully remove the ornate cast iron coronet and transport it to a specialist metal conservation workshop for restoration. The paint and decoration will be analysed and surveyed, fractured iron will be stitched and missing elements faithfully recreated. The crown will be redecorated and delicately painted in original colours before being carefully reassembled and reinstalled.
Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings is one of the most important buildings of the modern age. Help restore the Jubilee Crown and save a remarkable piece of Shropshire’s history.
The best of Britain. Made in Shrewsbury.