Memorial Ground Heritage Site?

[pongo88]

[Running Man]

I'm not going to step into the memorial yes/no debate my only concern (which stems to the whole of Bristol) is the lack of progress and what it costs Bristol as a whole.

Its clear to me that the Mem is no longer fit for purpose as a professional sporting venue, whether its Bristol Rugby or Bristol Rovers i'd say that both have probably outgrown it at least from an ageing perspective and what's there needs to be knocked down and something more modern built (the same as us and the ageing stands we have).

If it gets registered as a memorial then what happens to the ground and who pays for it? Will the council be forced to buy it? Who will pay to maintain the crumbling old terraces and who will actually use this new 'public' space if the Rugby and Rovers move out?

Registering the land will make it all but worthless except as a sporting ground, but if the footprint is no longer suitable for a modern stadium the last thing Bristol needs is another failed project that ends up costing taxpayers in the long run.

 

It should be returned to what it was originally intended to be, a memorial to the fallen heroes of WW1, somewhere for the community to use, in effect a park maintained by the Council. The Gas can do one up to South Glos if they want to but not to the detriment of the Memorial.

 

Of course I forgot they can't afford to move unless they sell it for a supermarket.

 

That shouldn't be a problem to them though, not as if they have any morals is it.

[myol'man]

[tiz]

Interesting to see how it is listed by the Imperial war museum   Address

 

Bristol Memorial Stadium
FILTON AV
Horfield
AVON
England
BS7 0AQ  

 

Type: Park/Sports Field OS Map Ref: ST 595 766 Inscription

1914-1918/ IN PROUD AND/ GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF THE SERVICES/ RENDERED TO THEIR/ COUNTRY IN THE/ GREAT WAR BY/ RUGBY FOOTBALL/ PLAYERS OF BRISTOL/ THIS/ GROUND/ WAS/ ESTABLISHED/ 1921

1939-1945/ AND IN THE WORLD WAR OF 1939-45/ THE RUGBY FOOTBALL/ PLAYERS OF THIS CITY/ GAVE THEIR SERVICES/ AND THEIR LIVES/ TO THEM ALSO THIS GROUND IS A MEMORIAL

 

 

Components

 

Component Material(s) Height Width Depth Condition Playing/sports field        

Good PLAQUES Stone 120CM 60CM   Good

 

Physical Description

Sports field with dedicatory tablets mounted on gate posts at the entrance to the ground.

Wars Commemorated & People Remembered

 

War First World War (1914-1918) Total names on memorial: 0 Served & Returned 0 Died 0 Is this an exact count? Yes, an exact count How are the names ordered? Not known What information is listed on the memorial? None Do we hold a list of names on the memorial? No

 

War Second World War (1939-1945) Total names on memorial: 0 Served & Returned 0 Died 0 Is this an exact count? Yes, an exact count How are the names ordered? Not known What information is listed on the memorial? None Do we hold a list of names on the memorial? No Maintenance

 

Are the letters difficult to read?

No

Who is responsible for the memorial?

Bristol Memorial Stadium Company

Maintenance History:

2008. It is planned to redevelop the Stadium

[Calculus]

If the appeal to English Heritage fails I would like us to see us find some space for the Memorial Gates at Ashton Gate, particularly given that the rugby club will be here. Would be a magnanimous gesture from Mr L.

[tiz]

Intersting especially who is responsible for its upkeep.

[In the Net]

So after all the spin and sophistry, the degree of dejection your lot spare for us and your history of being utter ***** (trying to pillage AG in 82, expecting Bath City FC to pay for ground improvements to bring it up to league standards, exploitation of Bristol RFC etc) you seriously expect us to support your major profiteering should this move go ahead?

That it's a war memorial is bad enough. With or without that issue though, it seems you're rallying for City's support for a selfish sags course.

Seems desperate to me but, out of interest, were there any City appealing to gas heads for support re Ashton Vale?

 

I'll try to answer that one.

 

I know there were a few of you who used to post on the, now defunct forum, and gave their viewpoint in threads re AV. Of course there will always be those in our ranks who are opposed to whatever City try to do, (and no doubt vice versa) but there were also a fair number of posters who signed the petition in support of AV, including myself. This was done without needing a direct appeal from City fans, but because I (and others) could see the merits of AV, and the disgusting manipulation by the Village Green mob.

 

I love the rivalry, but I think it is a shame that people love to hang on to the "They tried to steal Ashton Gate" or "They set fire to Twerton Park" mentality, and trot these out as a reason as to why they would never support something which the rival club is trying to achieve off the pitch.

 

We all like to complain about the incomers and niimbys holding Bristol back, but part of the blame must be laid on our own doorsteps too.

[Welcome To The Jungle]

If the appeal to English Heritage fails I would like us to see us find some space for the Memorial Gates at Ashton Gate, particularly given that the rugby club will be here. Would be a magnanimous gesture from Mr L.

 

That is too far. Those gates should not ever be moved

[Guest]

http://www.ukniwm.org.uk/server/show/conMemorial.7323/fromUkniwmSearch/1

[tiz]

That is too far. Those gates should not ever be moved

 

I agree wttj but the comment was if the bid fails. If the bid does fail my hope is that something is done to atone for the desecration as I see it of the Mem and a sports venue and one in which Bristol Rugby play in at least gets the gates. The thought of them being enclosed behind, in or obscured by a supermarket is dreadful. I will state again for clarification I hold my beloved Bristol Rugby as accountable as Bristol Rovers and Sainsburys for what i think is a terrible crime.

[Calculus]

That is too far. Those gates should not ever be moved

 

.. but the Rugby Club won't be there and if Rovers get their funding neither will they. The gates will be gates to nothing - a standalone war memorial near a supermarket Surely they'd be better at the home of the Rugby Club, honouring the fallen rugby players as they were intended to.

[phantom]

.. but the Rugby Club won't be there and if Rovers get their funding neither will they. The gates will be gates to nothing - a standalone war memorial near a supermarket Surely they'd be better at the home of the Rugby Club, honouring the fallen rugby players as they were intended to.

 

Are they not going to be near a rememberance garden?

[WTFiGO!?!]

I'll try to answer that one.

 

I know there were a few of you who used to post on the, now defunct forum, and gave their viewpoint in threads re AV. Of course there will always be those in our ranks who are opposed to whatever City try to do, (and no doubt vice versa) but there were also a fair number of posters who signed the petition in support of AV, including myself. This was done without needing a direct appeal from City fans, but because I (and others) could see the merits of AV, and the disgusting manipulation by the Village Green mob.

 

I love the rivalry, but I think it is a shame that people love to hang on to the "They tried to steal Ashton Gate" or "They set fire to Twerton Park" mentality, and trot these out as a reason as to why they would never support something which the rival club is trying to achieve off the pitch.

 

We all like to complain about the incomers and niimbys holding Bristol back, but part of the blame must be laid on our own doorsteps too.

I think you diplomats, from both sides, are a minority group.

Until the culture in the rivalry changes: we sit down for truth and reconciliation talks (where's Nelson when you need him?), the majority will remain at logger heads with each other. The possibility of a Bristol United is clearly not an option and that says it all.

That is just the way local rivalry in football is. Off and on pitch matters, which could affect future prospects of a club, are intertwined and do have a causal affect on each other, incidentally.

[Calculus]

Are they not going to be near a rememberance garden?

 

Yes, but on the UWE site, not where they are and not where the rugby club will be...

[WTFiGO!?!]

Yes, but on the UWE site, not where they are and not where the rugby club will be...

When you put it like that, R*vers discarding their association with the site, due to their own selfish ends, should not retain ownership of the gates, nor take them out of Bristol. But again, why should that prove a dilemma? I'm sure there's a twisted argument to justify it somewhere.

[Bristol Rob]

I misread the title of this topic.

Rather than Heritage Site I read it as Hireite Site and then panicked in case the Green Party had decided to file a claim to preserve a car rental depot.

[In the Net]

Yes, but on the UWE site, not where they are and not where the rugby club will be...

 

The Memorial Garden is part of the Sainsbury's planning permission, and will be based there - probably a few hundred yards from where the Memorial is currently sited.  It is not being moved to UWE.

[KeepUpLino]

The Memorial Garden is part of the Sainsbury's planning permission, and will be based there - probably a few hundred yards from where the Memorial is currently sited. It is not being moved to UWE.

That will look bloody lovely won't it overlooked by a huge sainsburys... Disgusting if you ask me!!

[Calculus]

The Memorial Garden is part of the Sainsbury's planning permission, and will be based there - probably a few hundred yards from where the Memorial is currently sited.  It is not being moved to UWE.

 

Apologies, I've obviously misread something. Still think they should be moved to BS3 with the rugby club though.

[weeble]

The Memorial Garden is part of the Sainsbury's planning permission, and will be based there - probably a few hundred yards from where the Memorial is currently sited.  It is not being moved to UWE.

The gates are remaining exactly where they are now. The proposal involves putting a memorial garden behind them with the gates acting as the entrance. Putting the argument over whether the stadium should be built on to one side for a moment, the gates' setting would be much improved over their present appearance.

[In the Net]

The gates are remaining exactly where they are now. The proposal involves putting a memorial garden behind them with the gates acting as the entrance. Putting the argument over whether the stadium should be built on to one side for a moment, the gates' setting would be much improved over their present appearance.

 

Ah, thanks for clarifying that - I'm not very good at interpreting architects' plans.

[T R]

[My work colleague, who is a Bath rugby supporter, was telling me today that he heard a radio programme about the Memorial ground whereby a Man was telling listeners that his Grandfather, a former rugby player, and his great Grandfather both have their cremated remains buried somewhere at the ground. He isn't too happy that a supermarket will be built on top of them. /quote]

[italian dave]

I'll try to answer that one.

 

I know there were a few of you who used to post on the, now defunct forum, and gave their viewpoint in threads re AV. Of course there will always be those in our ranks who are opposed to whatever City try to do, (and no doubt vice versa) but there were also a fair number of posters who signed the petition in support of AV, including myself. This was done without needing a direct appeal from City fans, but because I (and others) could see the merits of AV, and the disgusting manipulation by the Village Green mob.

 

I love the rivalry, but I think it is a shame that people love to hang on to the "They tried to steal Ashton Gate" or "They set fire to Twerton Park" mentality, and trot these out as a reason as to why they would never support something which the rival club is trying to achieve off the pitch.

 

We all like to complain about the incomers and niimbys holding Bristol back, but part of the blame must be laid on our own doorsteps too.

Good post, and I agree. On one level its another chance to kick the G*s when they' re down, but in all honesty I think that there's loads in common between the AV appeal and this one. In particular, just like the AV nimbys had absolutely no interest in preserving a village green and every interest in stopping a legitimate (ie had planning approval) development, this is the same. If the guy really felt strongly about the war memorial then why didn't he make this appeal months ago? He thought he had a better chance with the JR, lost that, and is now trying another route to stop the Sainsburys development, not to protect a war memorial. Only difference, so far, is that at least he hasn't told lies, like the AV lot did.

[Aizoon]

Maybe it should be heard by Ross Crail just to even things up?

[T R]

Interesting read:

http://www.cliftonrfchistory.co.uk/grounds/horfield/horfield.htm

This brings it home to you of what the memorial ground is all about. Click on the names that are highlighted, I found it quite sad:

http://www.cliftonrfchistory.co.uk/1910s/1910s.htm