Call for historical Chichester statue to be moved to a safer place

Members of the public have appealed for a historic statue to be moved inside the Guildhall after it was vandalised a few weeks ago.
'Moses' statue in Priory Park'Moses' statue in Priory Park
'Moses' statue in Priory Park

The statue, a Coadestone figure of a druid, is placed in Chichester’s Priory Park where is has been for the past 140 years.

It was brought over to Chichester in the 1770s, and after being moved around the city it finally found its home in the park in 1870.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However, approximately three weeks ago the treasured artefact was damaged, leaving it with a broken hand.

“This statue embodies its city’s history and belongs to its people,” said resident David Hide, of Priory Road.

“The photograph of ‘Moses’ in 1960 shows him in excellent repair but sadly he has deteriorated since then.”

Mr Hide had previously contacted the council to see if the statue could be moved inside the Guildhall to prevent damage, but to no avail – despite a strong request from a Coadestone expert that a full restoration needed to be carried out.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“For a city so derived from its past, there must be many like me who are determined to put this tragic event to right,” Mr Hide added.

Chichester District Council was contacted to comment on when the statue is due to be repaired but did not reply in time for publication.