Before the demolition of the ‘Pickle Factory’ and the creation of the new housing estate, there were two cherry trees in front of the factory that gave many residents a lot of pleasure.When these were chopped down we campaigned for them to be replaced in the Memorial Gardens. The new cherry trees were planted shortly after at which time a group of volunteers repainted the four benches and planted 130 bulbs ready for a very colourful Spring this year.
Funds for the cherry trees were provided by Morris Homes and the benches refurbishment and bulbs by the Village Committee and the Stanhill Heritage Project.
Recently, the Memorial Gardens have become the site of the first two of six information panels for the Stanhill Village Heritage Trail which extends around the village and takes in Knuzden [ former PoW camp and Peel Fold Farm] and Brookside [former Calico Print Factory]. The two panels tell the story of James Hargreave’s cottage where the Spinning Jenny was developed and Stanhill Hall [home of the Victorian novelist, William Bury Westall]. In addition even more bulbs have been planted by volunteers and large flower pots installed either side of the memorial stone.
Other initiatives under consideration at the Gardens are memorial vases for flowers of remembrance and a memorial to soldiers from Stanhill who fell in WW1.
If you have further ideas or would like to help with the development of the Gardens please contact us.
In the meantime it would be really nice if dog walkers could remember the Gardens are not a dog toilet!
