Summary

A war memorial and the eastern entrance to Hartshill Park, Oakengates, which takes the form of a pair of carriage gates of wrought and cast iron with overthrow, flanked by two pedestrian gates divided by stone piers, and with castellated stone flank walls.

Description

A war memorial and the eastern entrance to Hartshill Park, Oakengates, unveiled in November 1928.
MATERIALS & PLAN: the monument takes the form of a pair of carriage gates of wrought and cast iron with overthrow, flanked by two pedestrian gates divided by stone piers, and with castellated stone flank walls which are curved.

The eastern, road, front has a central pair of gates which have panels of cast and wrought iron work and acorn finials. Above these is an arched, iron overthrow which bears the words 'OAKENGATES WAR MEMORIAL'. The square stone piers at either side of the central gates and the pedestrian gates have chamfered rustication, as do the wing walls, which also terminate in square piers. The copings of these lateral walls are castellated and sloped. All six piers have caps with miniature pediments to each face. The two central piers have recessed panels holding bronze plaques with arched tops which record the names of the fallen from the First World War. The piers at either side of the pedestrian gates formerly carried small, rectangular plaques of cast white metal with lettering in relief which recorded the fallen from the Second world War, but these were replaced in 2006 by slate panels recording additional names of the fallen from the First World War and those who fell in the Second World War.

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 6 March 2017.

History

Hartshil Park was established with money provided by the Miner's Welfare Unit and was originally a colliery spoil tip, levelled in the 1920's to create a recreational space, administered by the then Urban District Council and now Telford & Wrekin Council. The Park was designed by Commander BT Coote and the work was overseen by Captain O'Kelly and officially opened in July 1927. On Sunday 11 November 1928 the war memorial gates were unveiled and officially handed over to the Urban District Council. The wrought iron gates hang on massive stone pillars and the names of local men killed during the First World War appear on bronze panels each side of the main gates. Those service men lost during the Second World War and conflict since have been added on slate panels on outlying pillars. The gates were re-dedicated by the Bishop of Shrewsbury in 2006 following restoration.

Reasons for Listing

The war memorial gates at Hartshill Park, Oakengates, Telford are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20;

* Architectural interest: as an accomplished and well-realised war memorial, which take the form of wrought and cast iron gates, together with stone piers and flank walls.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478583

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

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  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
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  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
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  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
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  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)