After securing the future of the Herstmonceux Observatory through a lease agreement last year, advocates have launched a £50,000 fundraising campaign to restore its deteriorating railings.
In August 2025, Queen’s and Bader College extended their lease agreement with the Observatory Science Centre and Museum in Herstmonceux for 10 years. The agreement followed Bader College’s decision to terminate the lease in 2024.
READ MORE: Queen’s terminates lease with the Observatory Science Centre on Herstmonceux Castle Estate
The Herstmonceux Observatory Campaign Group, commonly known on social platforms as the Friends of Herstmonceux Observatory and the group that campaigned for the observatory’s future, is raising £50,000 to restore the site’s historic O’Rorke railings through its “Rescue a Railing” campaign.
In an interview with The Journal, Chair of Herstmonceux Observatory Campaign Group Ian Whiteley said the railings, which are named after architect Brian O’Rorke, that surround the observatory serve both historical and practical purposes. They reflect O’Rorke’s architectural “purity of line” aesthetic while also ensuring safety for visitors and staff around the site’s elevated walkways.
He said the observatory was originally part of the Royal Greenwich Observatory, which moved to Herstmonceux in the 1950s. The site became a leading astronomical facility and operated until the late 1980s.
Today, Herstmonceux is home to The Observatory Science Centre and Museum, which features historic telescopes and science exhibits.
Fiona Graham, ArtSci ’87 and an independent conservation expert with Graham Conservation in Kingston, isn’t involved with the project but spoke to the railings’ conservation needs. She said the railings’ iron alloy construction means they require regular maintenance to prevent deterioration.
“You have to protect them so that they don’t turn into the minerals that they were originally,” Graham said in an interview with The Journal.
The maintenance includes applying protective coatings to the metal. Visible rust indicates that regular upkeep has not been maintained, Graham said.
According to Sussex World, the railings surrounding Herstmonceux Observatory have accumulated rust, and their paint has begun to peel.
Under the current lease agreement, Science Projects Ltd., the educational charity that runs the observatory, is responsible for maintaining the site and its fixtures, while Queen’s is responsible for maintaining the scientific equipment.
In a statement to The Journal, Queen’s said the restoration of the railings falls outside of the University’s maintenance obligations but that “Bader College has engaged with representatives of the Observatory Science Centre on the proposed restoration.”
Whiteley said the observatory does not receive government funding and relies on income from admissions and sales to operate and maintain the site.
When asked if the railings were an isolated restoration project, Whiteley said railings are “just the start.”
“There are lots of other things that will follow,” he said. “It’s partly about preservation, but also about making the place more effective as a tourist centre and a science education centre.”
The campaign allows members of the public to sponsor a railing for £15, with donors’ names to be included on a 2027 Donors Flag displayed at the observatory in the coming year.
Tags
Bader college, fundraising, Herstmonceux, observatory, Railings
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