Keppel's Column
Keppel's Column is at Scholes, Rotherham, close to the A629 three miles north west of Rotherham town centre. It is an 18th century folly built by John Carr in 1778 and named after Admiral Augustus Keppell. I have been unable to track down his connections with Rotherham.
Yes I have - It's pretty mundane when you found out that the good Admiral was a friend of the second Marquis of Rockingham and the column was built by the Marquis to celebrate Keppel's acquittal.
The Grade II listed column has been found in a poor state of repair yet again and this time safety fencing has been erected around it. Another repair bill RMBC would rather not meet. I malign them. The column has been strapped and looks - well very ugly. The Council hope to restore or rebuild and open the column up again for the public to climb to the top and enjoy the views. However estimates quoted are in silly money so unless the Lottery or English Heritage or some combination of interested charities are willing to cough up the necessaries it looks like the old gentleman is going to remain strapped up for quite some time.
December 2002 - Rotherham Council have allocated £60,000 of capital funds towards the repairs needed by Keppels Column. At the same time they have agreed to put in an application for Heritage Lottery Funding for close on the half a million pounds (told you it was silly money) reckoned necessary to complete the rebuilding work.
October 2003 - Some £22,000 of Heritage Lottery funding has been allocated to further investigation of Keppel's Column. A sky crane has lifted experts to the top and it has been assessed that the internal staircase has collapsed. I have read somewhere that bids for upward of £2million, yes that's right TWO MILLION have been prepared (there's inflation for you) for rebuilding and restoration.
Call me picky, call me mean if you will I don't mind, but this is a mind-bogglingly ridiculous sum for one stone column with no current meaning or purpose.
In January 2007 'The Star' reports that the Heritage Lottery Fund have finally pulled out of plans to repair and restore Keppel's Column as they consider it too risky a venture as the projected visitor numbers do not justify the level of funding required. I understand from the "Rotherham Advertiser", also in January 2007, that a further £19,000 is shortly to be spent on repairs. Perspex windows will be fitted to the apertures in the column to keep out the elements and help prevent further deterioration of the inside.