A sculpture in Leicestershire has been given a grade II listed status.

The piece of public art called Declaration, which was produced in 1961 by British sculptor Phillip King, has been given listed status by the Government’s department for culture, media and sport on the advice of Historic England.

The sculpture stands at Beaumanor Hall, in Woodhouse, Loughborough.

It is one of 41 post-war public sculptures across England which have been newly listed. They were all originally designed to bring public spaces back to life after the Second World War as England began to repair its shattered towns and cities.

A Leicestershire County Council spokeswoman said: “We are delighted that Historic England has included Phillip King’s Declaration among the post-Second World War listed works of art.

“The listing emphasises the importance of the sculpture and helps to protect its future within the national collection of public art that was commissioned to capture post-war public feeling.

“The sculpture is sited within the formal grounds at Beaumanor Hall. It can be viewed on request but, to avoid disappointment, we ask that anybody wishing to see it contacts the hall manager first.”

Heritage Minster Tracey Crouch said: “It is only right that these fantastic pieces are listed. Not only are they magnificent sculptures but they are also an important part of our history, capturing the mood of Britain after the Second World War.”

Roger Bowdler, director of listing at Historic England, said: “These sculptures were commissioned and created for everybody and have become a precious national collection of art which we can all share.

“They enrich our lives, bring art to everyone and deserve celebration.

“We have worked with the Public Monuments and Sculpture Association, Tate, and the Twentieth Century Society throughout this project to ensure our most special public art is protected and continues to enhance our public spaces.”

Phillip King, 81, who lives in London, is a leading British sculptor of the post-war era. He was briefly an assistant to Henry Moore in the 1950s.

He took a trip to Germany in 1959 where an exhibition featuring the abstract paintings of leading contemporary artists such as Jackson Pollock had a great impact on him. On his return he destroyed all his existing work and began working in a completely new style, soon creating Declaration which he considered a manifesto piece to establish his new ideas.