38 CONTEXT 189 : SEPTEMBER 2026 Initially, the project team examined the possibility of moving the various elements of the monument ensemble in their entirety and transporting them on trollies to their new location. It accepted that the monument ensemble would have to be dismantled stone by stone and rebuilt in its new position. For example, there needed to be a grass area to plant memorial crosses; it was necessary to allow for the ceremonial hierarchy and rituals of memorial and respect; and the site would need to be accessible to all. It was necessary for there to be seating for quiet contemplation, and for there to be a boundary to define and protect the setting and the space, while ensuring that it remained integrated into the fabric of the new St Peter’s Square. It was also necessary to maintain the potential for further memorials to be added to the site in future, to commemorate groups, services, battles or regiments. Inspiration was drawn from the original Lutyens design, which relied on a system of interconnecting circles and arcs; and where entasis occurs he subtly delineated this by radii measured in thousands of feet. We decided to enlarge the enclosure to better accommodate the space and to introduce curves redolent of the previous setting of the monument. Lutyens’ drawings were vague and merely indicative, as he left the craftsmen to achieve what he was trying to represent. Skilled as they were, they were not artist-sculptors but Acknowledgements This article originated as lectures given to the Association for Studies in Conservation of Historic Buildings in 2017, and a revised and abridged lecture given at the IHBC Summer School, 2025. It is an amended and updated version of that previously published in ASCHB Transactions (Vol 40, 2018). Stephen Levrant is principal of Levrant Heritage Architecture. anonymous journeymen. Their status in the hierarchy of labour was no doubt higher than that of the bricklayers and banker masons, but it was Lutyens who was responsible for the original creative design, and who had the prestige and recognition. This subject was much debated in our design team and with the whole project team. The final consensus was that the stones and embellishments should be replaced only where the fabric had eroded to the point that its structural integrity, and therefore its meaning, had been adversely affected. This stance is controversial according to some conservation philosophies, but this became the criterion. The catafalque representing an Unknown Soldier is an immensely powerful piece, although it can not be seen or appreciated in all its detail from the ground. However, as with the minutiae of medieval cathedral carvings, the intended audience is not necessarily earthbound, and Lutyens was clear that he wanted no identifiable portrait. Despite it having suffered some erosion, most of the detail remained. It was decided to preserve it as found, making minor ‘dentistry’ repairs. The two main wreaths and coats of arms on each side of the cenotaph were in a very delicate condition. They were apparently carved in situ over nine stones, working from the sketch designs on Lutyens’ drawings. It was decided not to risk taking them down stone by stone, as with the rest of the monument, so each assembly was clamped together and removed as a single piece. Ceremonial events now benefit from increased space for corps of service personnel and bands, and a dignified and ordered ceremonial route. The arrangement of the new setting has been greatly appreciated by participants and observers. However, skateboards and BMX bikes have been a problem. Despite the heightened security, it has been necessary to add purpose-designed skateboard studs to the arrises of the new stone benches. The relocation of the cenotaph war memorial, despite the misgivings of a small minority, has created a new public space in Manchester in a different context to that envisaged originally, but it remains an important part of the city fabric, much used during clement weather for quiet contemplation. People sit out on the stone benches and on the grass, walk through the monument and, most important, place their wreaths and crosses at the appropriate times. The memorial sits comfortably within the scale of its environs and is part of that context. There has been minimal restoration of the fabric, and the original dignity, symbolism and purpose have been preserved and enhanced. A short film can be viewed at https://tinyurl. com/4mhrndhv The re-carved south garland The Cenotaph in St Peter’s Square
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