TEN years ago, in November 1994, one of Basingstoke’s most controversial pieces of artwork was unveiled in Wote Street by the actress and singer Sarah Brightman.
The £25,000 granite sculpture, weighing seven tonnes and carved over a period of two years, was described by its creator, Michael Pegler, as giving “a physical interpretation to the site that evokes a sense of calm”.
Its official title is “The Church Stone” and is in memory of Emmanuel Church, which stood just a few yards away before it was demolished in 1969.
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The east side of the stone, which graces the site of the old church, has the image of a person bending over in prayer.
Unfortunately, the shape of the stone caused people to nickname it the “Wote Street Willy” and the true meaning of the sculpture has been partly lost over the past few years.
Since 1989, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has had a policy of encouraging works of art to be produced and sited in public spaces.
This idea has allowed some distinctive and visually-stimulating surroundings for the town, and has provided opportunities for artists and craft experts to show their work of art.
The range of subjects has included sculptures of people and other subjects, gates, seats and windows.
One of the largest of these are the gates at the far end of London Street, at its junction with New Road and London Road, which have a variety of panels showing images of the subjects which Basingstoke is best remembered for.
The 16 images include the Basingstoke Canal, the siege of Basing House, the town hall clock tower, the agricultural connections and the Domesday Book.
The “Triumphal Gates”, to give them their official title, were erected in 1992, and produced by Peter Parkinson and Richard Quinnell.
But it is the sculptures of people that seem to attract the eye of those passing by. One such figure is the dancing girl called “Poppy” near the entrance to The Anvil.
This small bronze sculpture was created by Tom Merrifield, and cast at the Morris Singer Foundry in Basingstoke in 1996.
It depicts the entertainment value of dancing at the nearby theatre, where many shows are presented each week.
The figure of a boy can be seen in Cross Street, where the old Blue Coat School used to stand until it closed down in 1879. The building was used for various purposes until 1967 when it was demolished.
The Blue Coat Boy, a bronze figure on a pedestal of brick, was cast at the local Phoenix Arts Foundry from a mould of the original at the Reading Blue Coat School. It was commissioned by the Basingstoke Heritage Society with a grant from the local council.
Not far away, in New Street, behind the estate agents’ office in the “Old Post Office” building, is a sculpture of “Father and Child” created by Diana Thomson after being commissioned by Crowngap Ltd and Royal Insurance Group Ltd.
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It commemorates the European Year of the Family (1981) and is inscribed “Dedicated to a peaceful future from the world”.
But, as we all know, peace comes at a price. This weekend most of us will be remembering the millions of men, women, and children who died in the two world wars, as well as the other conflicts that have occurred over the following years.
In Basingstoke, the assembly point for the Remembrance Service will be next to the Portland Stone Memorial in the War Memorial Park.
As the bronze figure of “Victory”, sculpted by Mr L F Roslyn, and placed there in 1923, looks down on the crowds who are saying their thanks for bringing the wars to an end, it was the First World War from 1914 to 1918 that brought about the creation of this memorial.
On its sides are three panels with the names of those from Basingstoke who died in the two world wars, while the other panel bears the arms of the borough.
It is estimated that about eight million lives were lost in the First World War, while the Second World War fatalities amounted to 30 million, these figures being for both military personnel and civilians throughout the world.
Man has always been at war, from the earliest battles of 1913 BC, when Abraham defeated the kings of Canaan, to the present Iraq conflict.
Over those years people have wondered as to when peace will ever come to this world? The answer has yet to come.
This article was written by Robert Brown and published on November 12, 2004
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