Municipal Gardens, Aldershot facts for kids
Municipal Gardens is a lovely park in Aldershot, Hampshire. It's a short walk from the town centre. This park has been open to everyone since 1904. Inside its pretty garden, you'll find the Aldershot Cenotaph. This special memorial remembers people from Aldershot who died in both World Wars. In 2019, the Cenotaph became a Grade II listed building. This means it's an important historic structure.
Exploring Municipal Gardens
The land for Municipal Gardens was bought between 1894 and 1895. Aldershot Urban District Council bought it for public use. This old piece of land was known as 'Parish Clerk's Land'. The gardens were officially opened in 1904. On December 13, 1905, which was 'Arbour Day', 32 trees were planted. Important local people donated and planted these trees. They included lime, chestnut, acacia, and sycamore trees.
The main entrance to the gardens is on Grosvenor Road. It has beautiful, restored Edwardian gates. You can also enter the park from Arlington Terrace and Laburnum Road. The park looks like a typical late Victorian garden. It has paths, including a shady avenue with old trees. There's also an ornamental garden with a modern water fountain and a wisteria pergola.
From the 1980s until 2004, the park got many improvements. Old tennis courts were changed into a hard court. The historic paths and railings were fixed. A new fountain was also added. Artists and craftspeople helped with these changes. They created stone lettering, mosaics, and metal sculptures. A children's playground is also part of the gardens. It is separated from the main area by a path.
The Aldershot Cenotaph Memorial
In the ornamental garden, you'll find the Cenotaph. This special memorial was unveiled on March 18, 1925. It remembers those who died in World War I. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester unveiled it. The Bishop of Winchester, Theodore Woods, dedicated it. The memorial was given to the Mayor of Aldershot. Soldiers from Aldershot Command formed a guard of honour.
The Cenotaph does not list names of the fallen. Instead, it has a simple message. It says: “This memorial was erected in grateful memory to those who gave their lives for their country in the Great War 1914 - 1919”. The reason for no names is because Aldershot is a military town. It was hard to know exactly how many local men joined the army.
The Cenotaph is made of Cornish granite. It has a large base with three steps. It cost £1,155 to build. It used to have two old artillery pieces next to it. One was German and one was Turkish from World War I. These were removed in 1940.
After World War II, more steps were added. These steps lead up to the Cenotaph. They create a special path for ceremonies. In 1950, another message was added. It remembers those who died in World War II. The modern fountain in front of the memorial was added in 2000.
Aldershot is a "garrison town." This means it has many soldiers and veterans. So, the Cenotaph is very important for remembrance events. These include a ceremony for the Battle of the Somme in 2016. The annual Remembrance Day service is also held here. In 2018, a vigil was held to mark 100 years since World War I ended. This was followed by a service on November 11, 2018.
On March 25, 2018, a memorial was unveiled next to the Cenotaph. It honors Alfred Toye VC. He won his Victoria Cross 100 years earlier in World War I.
In 2019, the Cenotaph became a Grade II listed building. Historic England recognized its beautiful design. They called it an 'elegantly proportioned cenotaph'.
Images for kids
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The Avenue of Trees in 2016
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Laying out the People's Park (renamed the Municipal Gardens) in 1904
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Municipal Gardens in 1905
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The Cenotaph in November 2016 after a Remembrance Day Service
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The memorial plaque to Alfred Toye VC in the Municipal Gardens in 2018
