The Dinosaur Court, Part 3

The Dinosaur Court was a wonder of Victorian England, but by the 1950s the site had fallen into obscurity. People knew the sculptures were still there, though it was hard to see them with all the brush that had grown up. However, people everywhere adore their dinosaurs, and the people of London didn’t forget them forever.

The first major restoration began in 1952, under the direction of Victor H. C. Martin. This involved removing vegetation and cleaning the concrete sculptures. Unfortunately, in some ways, Martin did more harm than good. Many of the sculptures, mainly of the mammals, were moved to a location where they would be more visible. This location was also more exposed, so that the figures began to deteriorate more quickly. Some of them were painted, which had not originally been done. Finally, in the 1960s, a limestone cliff that formed the backdrop was destroyed by explosives.

A second, even more extensive renovation began in 2002. This included building a new cliff and changing the paint to better reflect current science. Alas, some of the sculptures had been badly damaged, especially in the tails and toes. Most of them were patched or repaired with new cast pieces. A few could not even be located. Fiberglass replicas were created for these.

Today, the Dinosaur Court is once again a London landmark. Families and tourists flock to see these amazing heritage sculptures.