Princes Park

[jimmy]

Historic Princes Park gates to be restored
Feb 4 2008 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post


The gates at the entrance to Princes Park, on Princes Avenue, Toxteth, which are being prepared for renovation _320

A SET OF historic gates to a “little gem” of a Liverpool park are to be restored after campaigners raised health and safety concerns.

Work has started on the entrance to Princes Park, Toxteth of a £70,000 scheme to bring the gates and their pillars back to their former glory.

Veteran activist Gabriel Muies, who has been behind the campaign, hopes that the work could lead to the restoration of the rest of the park, which opened in 1918.

It is not known exactly how long the gates have been closed for, but council officials said it was at least a decade.

The gates will be taken away for complete restoration before they are brought back and reinstalled in the park in the spring.

Last night Mr Muies said: “I am highly delighted. We have been after this for years so that people can enjoy the park and also because of health and safety concerns.

“This is not only important for the park, but also because we have five listed buildings in Princes Road.”

He said the bowling greens, tennis courts and former boat house could also do with being rejuvenated.

“People need to realise what a little gem this park is for the city and how important it is.

“The council has to realise that this park has been neglected.”

A city council spokesman said: “We know that the local campaigners have wanted these gates restored and opened.

“It is something we have wanted to do and have now found money from the Neighbourhood Fund to pay for it.

“We hope that the gates will be back in place by spring.”

Meanwhiles Mr Muies’s campaign for the return of an ornate set of gates celebrating Liverpool’s maritime tradition which were lost to the Midlands more than half a century ago continues.

Known as the Sailor’s Gates, the Henry Pooley Gates were originally installed in the city’s old Sailors’ Home in 1850. However, after the Sailors’ Home was badly damaged in World War II, they were given to the Avery Historical Museum, Birmingham, in 1951.

Liverpool City Council is in discussions with Sandwell Council about the return of the gates so they can form part of a memorial garden on the site where the home used to stand in the new Liverpool One development.

davidbartlett@dailypost.co.uk

[Cadfael]

Having never once trusted the Council to get anything right, I hope they keep to their word and put these gates back once finished. It is very easy to forget a monument once it has been missing for some-time.

[empeebee]

Fear not! Work has already started on the gates by stonework and metalwork conservation experts. The repairs are going to be rather more extensive than originally thought, due to their poor state and earlier botched repairs, but it is unlikely that the work will be shelved. In any case the Friends Of Princes Park are continuing to keep a watching brief over progress in the weeks to come.

If there is a downside, it may be that the familiar black and gold paint may have to be sacrificed: layer sample-taking has apparently revealed that originally the gates were of a single green colour. Anyone concerned about this may be interested to know that this issue is likely to be raised at the the next meeting of FOPP on March 4th.

[empeebee]

Princes Park now has its own Flickr Group, which can be accessed at:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/princes_park

Anyone interested in this park and who wish to have a voice in its proposed refurbishment is welcome to join the Friends Of Princes Park.

Next meeting is at Bellerive School at 6.30 pm on Tuesday June 3rd 2008.

- empeebee

[ChrisGeorge]

Princes Park now has its own Flickr Group, which can be accessed at:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/princes_park

Anyone interested in this park and who wish to have a voice in its proposed refurbishment is welcome to join the Friends Of Princes Park.

Next meeting is at Bellerive School at 6.30 pm on Tuesday June 3rd 2008.

- empeebee

Excellent to see. Many thanks, empeebee!

Chris

[marky]

The Sunburst gates are now a dull green colour.

[empeebee]

Sorry that this info is rather belated, but anyone who doesn't like the new 'dull green colour' should not on this occasion blame the Corpy. The plan was to gild the central area of the Gates, thus preserving to some extent the 'sunburst' effect, and the money for this is still available. However, the project was cancelled at the last minute due to protests from people claiming to represent the Friends Of Princes Park, who objected to the gilding on the grounds that paint samples have not shown any historical basis for it. The council say they cancelled only out of a wish not to upset the local community.

At a previous meeting of the group when the issue was discussed a strong preference for the gilding was expressed and a number of the group are now unhappy that opposing views have been expressed in their name without any further consultation.

There is a meeting of FOPP tonight, Oct. 8th , at 6:30 pm at Bellerive School, Windermere Terrace, at which this issue is bound to be raised. There is a strong likelihood that the decision could be reversed if enough local people express their views

Anyone with strong views, for or against, or on any other issue relating to Princes Park is welcome to attend ? the only requirement is that you use the park!

Martin Bragg

[John Doh]

Never mind whose fault it was! But does anyone know whats going to be done about them? Is the gilding still going to happen in the end? You can walk right past them now and not even notice. Maybe they needed repairing , but they used to look really dramatic - see the photo on the previous page.

[Kev]

AN HISTORIC Liverpool park has had its status upgraded in recognition of its national importance.

Princes Park in Toxteth has had its status increased to a Grade II* Historic Park by English Heritage.

This makes it one of only three such parks in the city, along with Sefton Park and St James Cemetery Gardens.

English Heritage said it was the first major park created by eminent designer Joseph Paxton, and it inspired other designers.

Elements of Princes Park can be seen in other urban parks throughout the country.

The original look of the park is still intact and it is an important example of a green haven in a city setting.

Liverpool?s executive member for the environment, Cllr Berni Turner, said: "I?m so delighted Princes Park has been given the recognition it deserves.

"It really is a historical gem and it?s fitting that the park has been upgraded in Liverpool?s Year of the Environment."

"I would like to thank all those who have been instrumental in the upgrading of the park, including the Friends? Group, councillors and staff who look after the park and make it such an attractive place to relax and unwind in."

Ingrid Spiegl, a member of the Friends of Princes Park group, said: "It?s very exciting that such a wonderful park has been recognised.

"The upgrading will make a big difference as it means we can now apply for a Lottery grant to carry out further restoration work.

"We want to make people aware of the park?s historic importance and place in the city."

Princes Park was the concept of Richard Vaughan Yates, an iron merchant and member of a prominent Liverpool family. He commissioned Joseph Paxton, who had previously been head gardener at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, to design and lay out the new park.

It first opened as a private park in 1842 and it was not until 1918 that it passed into the hands of the city council and became fully open to all.

Nick Bridgland, part of the heritage protection team at English Heritage, said: "Princes Park is a key work of the highly influential landscape designer, Joseph Paxton.

"This was his first public park commission and helped establish him as an important and influential figure in the public parks movement. It definitely deserves registration at grade II*."

Some original features of the park, such as the Swiss boat house, have been lost, although some stonework remains by the lake.

The Doric Lodge, which was situated by the Sunburst Gates at the main entrance, was destroyed by bombs in 1940.

The landmark gates, representing the sun and its rays, together with their sandstone pillars, have already been restored.

The park also includes the gravestone of Judy the donkey, "the children?s friend" who gave children rides in the park for 21 years, dying in August 1926.

Liverpool Daily Post

[John Doh]

Well that's all great news, but when are they going to finish painting the Sunburst Gates? You can't see the sun through all that khaki! Anyone got any up to date info?

John

[John Doh]

Good to see that at last something is being done to renovate Princes Park, as shown in this article from the BBC Liverpool website:

" Princes Park gets makeover
By Paul Coslett
Liverpool?s historic Princes Park is being spruced up as part of the city?s Year of Environment.

The historic Princes Park close to Liverpool city centre is to be given a week-long clean up.
The improvements are part of Liverpool?s Year of the Environment and include the removal of rubbish from the edge of the lake and the cleaning of graffiti from benches.
The lake itself will undergo a deep clean, cobbled paving will be re-set and trees will be pruned with new shrubs planted.
The work is being carried out by community partners including Merseyside Police, Mersey Fire and Rescue Service and Liverpool City Council, some of the work in the park will be carried out by young offenders as part of a community pay back scheme run by the Probation Service.

The landmark Sunburst Gates at the Princes Avenue entrance have already been restored, the railings surrounding the gates will now be replaced or re-painted.

The park covers 45 hectares, designed by Joseph Paxton, who had previously been head gardener at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. It opened in 1842. Paxton would later go on to design the Crystal Palace in London for the 1851 Great Exhibition.
Although open to the public the park was originally a private development paid for by the sale and development of large houses around its edge.
The park includes the gravestone of Judy a donkey who gave children rides in the park for 21 years, dying in August 1926.
last updated: 09/02/2009 at 15:55 "


--But the bit about the gates sounds as though its supposed to be finished. It looks like an undercoat to me. Isn't it supposed to be gilded like it used to be? Suppose they must have ran out of money, whats new?

John

[PhilipG]

I just don't understand English Heritage.
Why should Princes Park receive Grade II* Listing?
It's not as if apartments are likely to be built there.

We keep hearing of Liverpool buildings that EH don't consider important enough to be Listed.
Recently, there has been the Alfred Jones Hospital in Garston and the Garston Empire.

The Bedford Cinema wasn't considred worthy of being Listed, despite the fact it was one of the five oldest cinemas in the UK to survive with its original facade.
But, because it wasn't Listed by EH, it's been demolished.

It's too easy for EH to List places - like Parks - that aren't threatened with redevelopment.
I agree that parks should be kept, but why can't we keep local buildings that probably mean more to the average person than parks (which will always be there. Princes Park was laid out mainly because it was unsuitable for building on, being mostly the course of an old stream.)


.

[marky]

The 'Sunburst gates' have been fenced off.

[Kev]

Princes Park Gates 1907 - LRO.

[AngelCake]

Princes Park Gates 1907 - LRO.

Great picture!


Can someone tell me what the building with steps is? I've not seen it before.