A POPULAR Anglesey landmark, which has been closed for the last six years, could soon re-open thanks to a lottery grant worth nearly £60,000.

The Marquess of Anglesey monument, which overlooks the Menai Strait near Llanfairpwll, closed in 2012 after the internal staircase was deemed to be unsafe to the public.

The monument is now owned by the Anglesey Column Trust charity, who launched a campaign to help restore and renovate it this time last year.

A spokesperson revealed they have received a grant of £59,800 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

They hope that work on restoring the site to its former glory can soon get underway and that a viewing platform can also be built.

“The cottage at the base of the column will provide a tearoom and shop,” The spokesperson said.

“It will also include space for learning activities, school visits and wider educational use and an an interpretation scheme throughout the site that will tell stories about the local area and the column’s significant history.”

The spokesperson added that the Trust will be applying for a full National Lottery grant at a later stage.

Built in 1817, The Marquess of Anglesey’s Column, in Llanfairpwll, was originally designed to commemorate the first Marquess’s role in the Battle of Waterloo.

The Tower itself contains 115 steps, which many locals and visitors have previously climbed in order to enjoy the panoramic views of North West Wales which can be enjoyed from the top - including Snowdonia and Anglesey.

Speaking on the column’s importance to Anglesey, Nia Jones, director of the Anglesey Tourism Association (ATA), said: “We recognise the importance of the Marquess of Anglesey’s column as it is a part of the view when visitors arrive onto our island.

“The story of Plas Newydd and the Paget family is incomplete without a visit to the top of the column. It forms an integral part of the Anglesey heritage story and the ATA wholeheartedly supports the Anglesey Column Trust to ensure its restoration and re-opening as a key visitor attraction and another unique experience which Anglesey has to offer.”