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The famous Naked Ladies of Twickenham get a makeover

Local Features by The Editor 13th Aug 2021  
Read about the history of the statues below
Read about the history of the statues below
All photos by John Royle
All photos by John Royle
The statues encased in scaffolding
The statues encased in scaffolding
By John Royle
By John Royle
By John Royle
By John Royle
By John Royle
By John Royle
By John Royle
By John Royle
By John Royle
By John Royle
By John Royle
By John Royle
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The famous Naked Ladies in the gardens of York House are receiving a renovation ahead of visitors returning after the pandemic.

Specialist cleaning to the stonework on the listed statues is being carried out and the pool below them is being drained and cleaned.

Scaffolding encases the ladies while the maintenance takes place.

Owners of the statues Richmond Council said the work involves:

1) drain down the pool and remove the build-up of reeds growing

2) cut back and generally tidy up the trees and shrubs surrounding the statues

3) specialist cleaning of the status and stonework

4) overhaul the fountain pump and improve the filtration from the pool to the pump.

The Naked Ladies are Grade II listed with Historic England, a recognition of their special architectural status which prevents them from future development.

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The art installation is of Italian origin and were imported to England by notorious fraudster Whitaker Wright.

After Wright took his life using a cyanide capsule in the dock of the Royal Courts of Justice after being convicted of fraud, the statues were sold to Sir Ratan Tata, their last private owner.

When the council bought York House in 1924 to be their new town hall, the statues were put up for sale but no buyer could be found and so they have remained under public ownership for nearly a century.

Twickenham Brewery named a beer after the Naked Ladies in homage to one of the town's most notable local landmarks.

During the Blitz, the statues were deemed a risk to the imposed blackout intended to disrupt the Luftwaffe's bombing campaign over the capital.

The Naked Ladies were covered with a grey sludge to prevent light reflecting off them and providing a target for Nazi bombers.

Many thanks to Chay for writing this story and to John Royle for the photos!

Click through the carousel at the top to see more pictures of the revamp.

     

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