Chadwick Lychgate at entrance to Sunnyhurst Wood

Summary

Lychgate, 1903; dressed sandstone and timber

Reasons for Designation

The Chadwick Lychgate, Sunnyhurst Wood, of 1903 is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural interest: it is a well-designed structure that utilises good quality materials with a high level of attention to detail;
* Degree of survival: it survives largely intact and compares favourably with listed examples of park entrances;
* Historic interest: in common with the related structures in Sunnyhurst Wood, it attests to the widespread rise of leisure activities in the late-C19 and early-C20 and which, provided via the philanthropy of notable local people, together preserve a set of contemporary public inscriptions;
* Group value: as one of a group of listed Edwardian, municipal park structures, it benefits from a historic, spatial and functional group value, strengthened further by its relationship to the Grade II registered park itself.

History

Sunnyhurst Wood, a wooded valley with a brook running through it, was purchased by Darwen Corporation in the early C20 for the creation of a public park to commemorate the Coronation of Edward VII in 1902. Funds were raised by public subscription, through the efforts of Alderman John Tomlinson, Mayor of Darwen (1900-1902) amounting to £2600. Work on the park began in 1902 and involved the construction of a number of paths, additional planting and minor works to the stream. The opening ceremony took place on 2nd July 1903 performed by Mrs Shorrock, the Mayoress. Within a few months of opening, improvements were being made and benefactors were providing further amenities at their own expense; these included a fishpond, a shallow lake for paddling and toy boat sailing, an aviary and a sundial.

This wooden lychgate at the southern entrance to Sunnyhurst Wood was presented by Mr John Chadwick in 1903.

Details

Lychgate, 1903; dressed sandstone and timber.

DESCRIPTION: forming one of the original entrances to the wood, the lychgate has a dressed stone base with moulded coping supporting the timber super structure. Each side has four open bays with carved arched braces supporting the pitched roof of tile and overhanging bracketed eaves. Both gables have mock timbered panels, carved arched braces and decorative barge boards with a carved ogee-arch at their apex. The east gable is also carved with the words 'Sunnyhurst Wood' in a gothick script flanked by carved floral motifs. It is fitted with double five-bar timber gates.

Sources

Books and journals
Hartwell, C., Pevsner, N, in The Buildings of England, Lancashire, North, (2009), 273

Other
The Landscape History of Sunnyhurst Wood, Darwen: survey and report for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. By Dr Alan G. Crosby, 2007

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