Whenever we can we like to work on projects in the local area that the Parish Council presents to us. Stansted Mountfitchet still retains its charm and has many historic elements, particularly along Chapel Hill and Lower Street which fall under the village’s Conservation Area. Stansted Mountfitchet War Memorial is found at St Johns Church on Chapel Hill. This still forms and poignant place for reflection and a place to congregate for Remembrance Day.
Stansted Mountfitchet Parish Council approached us to revamp the Memorial. The path was becoming tired with rotting timber edging boards flanked by high maintenance bedding displays, changed twice annually. Benches not accessible to some visitors with mobility issues and gravel pathways that were converging with the grass. In essence, the Memorial still served its purpose, but was looking tired whilst doing so.
Our work looked at developing subtle design improvements that would sit well in the Conservation Area. The materials had to be durable and if possible reduce the cost of maintenance as Council budgets are continually squeezed. We produced two design options, very similar in their form, but one proposing a slightly more expensive scheme with more opportunity for seating.
Here are the proposed options:
Option 1
Option 2
The local Secondary School performed a small public consultation on behalf of the Parish Council to gauge public perception of those passing by the site. It was very strange being asked what I thought about the design that I had drawn…
The implemented scheme is a combination of the two design options. Some elements have not been installed, but this is at the discretion of our Client. What can be said is that the new design is a great improvement and the site looks rejuvenated. Further to this, the memorial will be professionally cleaned and the stone engravings made clearer in time for Remembrance Day 2017. An uplighter has been installed so that the floodlight could be removed and the planting is no longer annuals, instead perennials and roses now border the path.
It was a pleasure to work on such a project and give something back to our community.
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