I am writing to you regarding Fort Royal Park and it's current state.
You may be aware that the park was voted 8th best in the Whole Country by the Independent in 2005.
‘8 Fort Royal Park, Worcester ( http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/the-ten-best-urban-parks-490071.html )
With its hilltop views towards Worcester Cathedral and The Worcester Commandery, this is the perfect park for glorious sunsets. A Civil War battle was fought here, and it is home to Fort Royal, the listed monument that gives the park its name. The fort itself is surrounded by a rose garden and extensive flowerbeds, and there's a playground on the site, so it's all pretty child-friendly’
Add this with the history of the park
Fort Royal was a Civil War on a small hill to the southeast of Worcester overlooking the Sidbury Gate. It was built by the Royalists<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalier> in 1651 to defend the hill, because during the siege in 1646<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Worcester> Parliamentary forces had positioned their artillery on the hill and had been able to severely damage the city's walls.
and what John Adams said about it:
In early April 1786, John Adams<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Adams> and Thomas Jefferson<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson> visited Fort Royal Hill at the battlefield at Worcester. David McCullough<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_McCullough> wrote in his definitive biography John Adams that Adams was "deeply moved" but disappointed at the locals' lack of knowledge of the battle, giving the townspeople an "impromptu lecture":
The people in the neighborhood appeared so ignorant and careless at Worcester that I was provoked and asked 'And do Englishmen so soon forget the ground where liberty was fought for? Tell your neighbors and your children that this is holy ground, much holier than that on which your churches stand. All England should come in pilgrimage to this hill, once a year.”[4
Souirce http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Royal_Hill
Considering the well known reputation of the Fort there has been a considerable lack of investment in the park over the years. A failed lottery bid a couple of years ago in conjunction with The Commandery led to waning interest in the park. Although the park has been kept immaculately clean by the council wardens, signs of wear and tear are really showing, for example residents often complain that the entrance to the park “looks like a scene out of Beirut” or that it has been “bombed”. Couple this with the crumbling wall it poses a real danger to children and general the general public. The play area is dated and looks like according to one resident “Something out of a Glasgow estate”.
Most disappointingly the residents feel that there is no real symbol or “monument to mark those that lost their lives so that we could enjoy freedom and democracy”. A statue or monument to mark the historic events is vital to preserve the history and a sense of legacy to future generations.
To top it all off almost all of the residents that I have spoken to point out that , this is the most historic park in Worcester yet the most neglected in terms of investment, they point out that other areas have considerable investment E.g. Ghulevelt Park and that they seen new parks springing up in St Peters? The residents ask what have the people of Cathedral done to deserve this?
Mr Noman Ali states “The council has previously done a feasibility study and hundreds of surveys, time and time again the answer from the residents is that the park needs major investment” how many more consultations do the council want to do? The residents are sick and tired of broken promises and false hope, they want action not words”
It is time for English heritage, The National trust and the council, to come together to preserve this site, restore it to its former glory so that it may serve as a glowing beacon of the place where English freedom was won.
I will be happy to meet at a convenient time to walk around Fort Royal to discuss the issues residents have so that you can get a feel of the problems and soak up the history of the Fort.
Article sent to the Worcester News and Standard 9th June 2011
You may be aware that the park was voted 8th best in the Whole Country by the Independent in 2005.
‘8 Fort Royal Park, Worcester ( http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/the-ten-best-urban-parks-490071.html )
With its hilltop views towards Worcester Cathedral and The Worcester Commandery, this is the perfect park for glorious sunsets. A Civil War battle was fought here, and it is home to Fort Royal, the listed monument that gives the park its name. The fort itself is surrounded by a rose garden and extensive flowerbeds, and there's a playground on the site, so it's all pretty child-friendly’
Add this with the history of the park
Fort Royal was a Civil War on a small hill to the southeast of Worcester overlooking the Sidbury Gate. It was built by the Royalists<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalier> in 1651 to defend the hill, because during the siege in 1646<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Worcester> Parliamentary forces had positioned their artillery on the hill and had been able to severely damage the city's walls.
and what John Adams said about it:
In early April 1786, John Adams<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Adams> and Thomas Jefferson<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson> visited Fort Royal Hill at the battlefield at Worcester. David McCullough<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_McCullough> wrote in his definitive biography John Adams that Adams was "deeply moved" but disappointed at the locals' lack of knowledge of the battle, giving the townspeople an "impromptu lecture":
The people in the neighborhood appeared so ignorant and careless at Worcester that I was provoked and asked 'And do Englishmen so soon forget the ground where liberty was fought for? Tell your neighbors and your children that this is holy ground, much holier than that on which your churches stand. All England should come in pilgrimage to this hill, once a year.”[4
Souirce http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Royal_Hill
Considering the well known reputation of the Fort there has been a considerable lack of investment in the park over the years. A failed lottery bid a couple of years ago in conjunction with The Commandery led to waning interest in the park. Although the park has been kept immaculately clean by the council wardens, signs of wear and tear are really showing, for example residents often complain that the entrance to the park “looks like a scene out of Beirut” or that it has been “bombed”. Couple this with the crumbling wall it poses a real danger to children and general the general public. The play area is dated and looks like according to one resident “Something out of a Glasgow estate”.
Most disappointingly the residents feel that there is no real symbol or “monument to mark those that lost their lives so that we could enjoy freedom and democracy”. A statue or monument to mark the historic events is vital to preserve the history and a sense of legacy to future generations.
To top it all off almost all of the residents that I have spoken to point out that , this is the most historic park in Worcester yet the most neglected in terms of investment, they point out that other areas have considerable investment E.g. Ghulevelt Park and that they seen new parks springing up in St Peters? The residents ask what have the people of Cathedral done to deserve this?
Mr Noman Ali states “The council has previously done a feasibility study and hundreds of surveys, time and time again the answer from the residents is that the park needs major investment” how many more consultations do the council want to do? The residents are sick and tired of broken promises and false hope, they want action not words”
It is time for English heritage, The National trust and the council, to come together to preserve this site, restore it to its former glory so that it may serve as a glowing beacon of the place where English freedom was won.
I will be happy to meet at a convenient time to walk around Fort Royal to discuss the issues residents have so that you can get a feel of the problems and soak up the history of the Fort.
Article sent to the Worcester News and Standard 9th June 2011
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