Summary
First World War memorial gates to the Recreation Ground, unveiled 1923, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Fordingbridge War Memorial Gates, which are situated at the east entrance to the Recreation Ground from Ringwood Road, are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
History
The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also the official policy of not repatriating the dead which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
Details
The symmetrical gates form the access to the Recreation Ground from Ringwood Road. Each gate includes vertical bars and dog-rails, with ornamental work over the top rails. The gates are hung from stone piers, c3m tall, square on plan, with cornices surmounted by stone balls. Curved railings to each side, carried on a dwarf brick wall with stone coping, adjoin c2.4m tall end piers. Small flower beds fronted by stone kerbs fill the space in front of the two curving dwarf walls.
End of official list entry
