Wellington cenotaph set for conservation work

After the war, loss was felt across the whole country. As a response to this, people turned to building memorials to honour the casualties, with around 60 being put up around the country. 

Wellington wanted to mark this loss with its own memorial for the 1700 Wellingtonians who died at war, which was a significant portion of the city’s population at the time. Conversations were also ongoing about building a regional and national war memorial in the capital.

This idea was eventually approved by the government, but the build took years of planning, with options floating around to create a memorial in various locations such as in an art gallery or in an Anglican church which was being built near the Basin Reserve.

A temporary structure was built in the 1920s to commemorate Anzac Day while these discussions were being had. This was placed on the corner of Lambton Quay and Molesworth Street and ended up being used by the community for nine years in various locations across the city.

After years of fundraising through various groups like the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association and Wellington Citizens’ War Memorial Committee, by 1926 enough money had been raised for the build of a permanent cenotaph. But the discussion of where it would be located was still ongoing.  A site was proposed at the corner of Molesworth Street and Lambton Quay, and a national design competition was held for the memorial. The winners were Auckland architects Grierson, Aimer and Draffin, in collaboration with sculptor Richard Gross.  

Their chosen design was an elegant Moderne structure, composed of a base of Coromandel granite and Carrara marble and a tapering pylon of Carrara marble, topped with a bronze horse and rider. 

After further negotiation with the Government, the Wellington City Council proposed a new location for the cenotaph by removing old buildings in the angled corner of Lambton Quay and Bowen Street, then known as Quinton’s Corner. 

Altering this corner site meant that the memorial had a better visual impact for commemorative events and made the area safer for vehicles and pedestrians.  

The statue at the top of the cenotaph, Will to Peace (or Pegasus with Victorious Youth), was designed and sculpted by Gross, cast at a foundry in England, and initially put on display at the Royal Academy in London before being shipped out to New Zealand. 

The memorial was properly dedicated on 17 April 1932 in a ceremony performed by the Anglican Bishop of Wellington, Bishop Sprott, in front of a large crowd. Initially, the memorial was open to the public for an hour each day, although it has rarely been open in the subsequent decades.

Since the cenotaph was dedicated in 1932, the appearance, condition and maintenance of the structure has struggled in the capital’s weather. 

One visible issue has been staining on the marble caused by a chemical reaction between the bronze elements and water, resulting in a pale green wash on the surface. 

By this time, the Council had taken over management of the memorial and was receiving ongoing complaints from the public, who felt the discolouration was a distraction from the monument. The architects responded to note that the green patina was an intended and desirable effect.

Another persistent issue has been water damage to the interior of the memorial, made worse by Wellington’s frequent southerlies and heavy rainfall.

From June 2025 to August, the Council will begin essential work to protect and repair this nationally significant heritage site.

The first stage of this project will require scaffolding over most of the exterior, including around the bronze sculpture of the horse and rider. This work will require deliveries of materials and removal of waste from the site, but it will be done in a way to minimise inconvenience to pedestrian traffic. The second stage will require scaffolding around the base. 

To ensure the project remains financially sustainable, the work will be spread over three financial years. This approach also allows Anzac Day commemorations to continue without interruption.

A heritage architect and a traditional stonemason, experienced in lime mortar repairs for monuments and historic buildings, will lead the restoration alongside contractors. Their work will include addressing the existing damage and developing a clear, long-term maintenance plan to prevent future deterioration.

The second stage work will focus mainly on the interior of the Cenotaph and will start in July 2026. That stage is expected to take a couple of months to complete. 

While the memorial’s appearance will remain unchanged, it will be carefully restored to ensure it continues to serve as a place of remembrance for generations to come.