Stainless Steel comes to the rescue of Queen Eleanor of Castile

Stainless steel was discovered long after the end of the medieval times, however that hasn’t stopped the material coming to the rescue of a 13th Century Northampton monument to Queen Eleanor of Castile. The conservation work has been undertaken in order to restore The Eleanor Cross – sited on London Road in Northampton – which was erected in 1291 for the medieval Queen who was wife to King Edward I, commonly known at the time as Edward Longshanks. The restoration work included the use of special stainless steel pins to provide extra support whist fitting new stone, mortar repairs and repointing, before a final ‘shelter’ coating was added. The £95,000 renovation was covered 50/50 by Northampton Borough Council and Historic England who also provided consultation throughout the project. The Eleanor Cross was one of twelve ‘crosses’ constructed by Edward I following the death of his wife Eleanor, and marked the twelve formal stopping places of the funeral procession after she died in Lincoln in 1291 at the early age of 36. Sadly The Eleanor Cross is now only one of three of the crosses that remain today. At DSM we also make products ‘fit for a Queen’ and have indeed made stainless steel items for Royal Residences. Our stainless steel worktops are fit for anyone to put in their own ‘palace’!