One of the UK’s most significant survivals of Victorian cast-iron street furniture is being dismantled in Canterbury where Kent County Council is replacing bespoke 19th-century lampposts with modern steel alternatives.
Around 250 heritage posts are thought to remain across the city and many of the originals were manufactured locally, forming part of a distinctive streetscape that links the city’s industrial and civic past.
Campaigners say the replacements risk eroding character in an urban environment celebrated for its historic setting and World Heritage status.
Canterbury is regarded as one of only a handful of cities retaining a largely complete collection of custom-designed Victorian lamp standards, alongside Westminster and Edinburgh.
ECONOMICAL REFURBISHMENT
The Times reports that the council’s rollout programme is steadily removing the older columns and installing standardised models.
The authority is understood to view replacement as more economical than refurbishment, citing ongoing maintenance requirements for cast iron infrastructure. Critics argue that the policy prioritises short-term budgets over long-term stewardship of durable heritage assets.
Victorian streetlights have been targeted by local authorities across the country amid cost pressures, with similar rows reported from Berkshire to Aberdeenshire and Bristol.
CLUMSY AND CRUDE
Supporters of retention argue the cast-iron posts can last for generations with periodic repainting and, where upgraded, already use efficient LED lanterns.
Architect Ptolemy Dean, president of the Canterbury Society and surveyor of the fabric at Westminster Abbey, said the replacements were “clumsy and crude”, describing them as “cheap and banal” compared with the ornate originals.
He warned that removing bespoke fixtures damages civic pride and weakens a unique sense of place.
