HA HA SAID THE PARK

 

 

War Memorial Park was once the grounds of Goldings, a country house built by Francis Russell in the late 18th Century. He bought Hackfield Field to create 6 acres of parkland to the south of his house, which incorporated parts of old timber frame cottages, but was restyle in a manner not unlike that of John Soane.

To separate the house and its garden from the parkland he built a ha-ha (concealed ditch) (1) parts of which are still visible at the south entrance to the park, close to the War Memorial itself. (2)

 

 

The house itself is now the registry office (3), and framed by council offices in modernish style. The older block leans towards brutalism (4), and the newer one towards postmodern vernacular (5).

Perhaps surprisingly, the whole urban set piece works rather well.

 

 

Uses of moulded clay. Pictorial inserts in a tree seat. (This kind of incidental street art is very common in Basingstoke) Ionic capitals and entablature in Fairfields School, a board school dated 1887 using typical local materials in a somewhat Dutch manner.

The school is still in active use, and a privelege to have on my walking routes, which also feature Georgian houses and many retaining walls that lean alarmingly. Very picturesque but sooner or later they will have to be rebuilt, hopefully in a sensitive manner.

 

 

It has to be said that although the call to prayer was intriguing when I first moved to Dubai and I have great respect for my many devout Muslim friends (and some not so devout perhaps) this is the sound of my home country, England and feels very comforting on my Sunday afternoon walk.

Culture is deeply embedded in our history. I to cannot be frozen, nor can it be changed in an arbitrary manner. Continuity is important. Although I travelled the world for 45 years and England has changed quite alarmingly while I was away, it is still my home.