Concerns are being raised in the communities of Goldenhill and Sandyford in light of the perceived uncertainty regarding a war memorial’s future, which is located in the grounds of St John’s Church, Goldenhill.
It has been reported that members of the City Council’s Heritage Team have recently met with the prospective owners of the church, who seem aware of the issues and sensitivities surrounding the memorial, and the importance of maintaining public access. It is said that things are at a very early stage, but they will continue to monitor the situation, and offer advice and guidance as and when necessary.
The Council’s Heritage Team say as a general principle, it is always preferable to preserve a memorial in its original location, to ensure that its historical and contextual links remain intact. If there is a genuine threat to a memorial’s existence, options to move it to a safer location can be explored, but they do not feel that they have reached this point with regard to the St John’s monument, and should the situation change, they will be more than happy to discuss alternative locations for the memorial with the local community.
Hello, can anyone please give me an update on the status of the war memorial in St John’s churchyard. I ask as my great uncle Henry Byron is remembered there but I am unable to visit as yet because of the restrictions due to covid. I want to pay my respects and take some good photographs for addition to our family tree records on Ancestry as this will complete this record.
Thanks
Barry Porteus
Hi Barry,
To date nobody has purchased the church, and the memorial is still in place. It’s future safety is paramount to everyone in the community, and if it needs to be removed then there is a new location in Goldenhill where it could possibly be rehoused.
Hope this helps.