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PARK OPENS GATES TO HISTORY - 22nd May, 2010
Hand Forged gates commemorating a Northumberland park's historic past have swung open for the first time
Watched by a crowd of over 250, the six foot high gates, commissioned by Barmoor Castle Park owners Hedley, Ann & Jamie Lamb, swung open after being blessed by historian and Reverend Doctor John Ferguson.
The sun shone as the park's very first holiday home owners, George and Hazel Talbot whoc came to Barmoor 20 years ago, cut a ribbon around the gates while trumpeter, Roy McCluskey played a fanfare.
The gates' opening marked the finale of of the project involving the Lamb family and Holburn-based blacksmith Stephen Mather to create a structure commemorating Barmoor's connection with the Battle of Flodden.
The gates which were built using almost two tons of iron, are hung overlooking the site where 26,000 English soldiers camped the night before and after defeating the Scots during the infamous and bloody Battle of Flodden in 1513 where over 14,000 soldiers were killed.
Made using traditional hand-crafted techniques, the gates feature details and motifs including the Flodden Cross, the English Rose crest, Lamb of God emblems and replica weapons which took centre stage in the battle like the English Billhook, arrows and Longbows.
Connecting the gates span curves of metalwork representing the contour lines of the hills where the battle took place while the crenellations of Barmoor Castle run along the gates' crest.
Stephen Mather, 40, said: "It's fantastic to see the gates installed in all their glory. They're in a magnificent site. it gives you a real feeling of achievement. I have made the gates into a showpiece for all my skills. There's not many opportunities to do that, especially on the doorstep!"
He added: "It's been a long process involving Hedley, Ann, Jamie & myself. It's been very challenging but well worth the time and effort. The gates' design and shape has evolved along the way. Hedley has been very involved in the design and we've had to bear in mind that these are working gates. The design has taken this into consideration."
Stephen had to use special tchiniques to give a three dimensional quality to the gates.
"Every piece has been made out of a flat plate of metal which took a lot of time. A single rose emblem took around three days to make. I've used chisels and punches to add details like the wool on the lamb emblems," he said.
As well as commemorating history, the gates also mark the Lambs' restoration of the estate's original entrance which has reunited the main entry to Barmoor Castle once again.
Ann Lamb, who owns and runs the private holiady park in the lea of the castle, with husband Hedley and the couple's son Jamie said:
"It has been a momentous day which again punctuates another pivotal moment in Barmoor's history. When we originally purchased the castle it was landlocked, with all the entrances under separate ownership to the castle. To be able to re-unit the original main entrance tot he castle was something we had not envisaged when we began work here over 20 years ago. Tto mark such an achievement, we wanted a really special gae design which, with Stephen and Hedley's unique design and Stephen's technical and imaginative skills and incredible workmanship we have done."
"We wanted to create a lasting feature to honour the past and prepare for the future and which interpreted our vision for Barmoor and respect for its past. We felt the gates would be a fitting tribute to events in history that have shaped the pasrk as it is today to oruselves and our owners here."
Barmoor's gates not only portray the brief but are a work of art and a testament to it's incredible past."
Blessing the gates, Reverend Doctor John Ferguson, said: "While these gates are a celebration of Barmoor, they also pay a quiet tribute to the lives lost during the Battle of Flodden. Today, they represent peace and tranquillity to those who pass through them. As we apprach the 500th anniversary of the Battle, these superb gates serve as a commemoration and are a reminder of a milestone in our history."
Following the opening, historian Clive Hallam Baker gave a presentation on the Battle and Barmoor's significance in relation to it.
"History oozes from every inch here," he said: "It's a remarkable place and one that fascinates me. The Battle of Flodden is a forgotten battle - people just don't know about it, yet the slaughter rate that happened here is equivalent to the Somme.
"It's hard to imagine on a day like today in this glorious, peaceful sunshine that approaching 500 years ago, an army of thousands camped right here in the cold and rain, having marched from London at a rate of just three miles per day and were getting ready to do battle. Barmoor's gates and their motifs are a magnificent tribute to its history."
And a call to arms was issued by Northumberland County Council Archaeologist Chris Burgess to onlookers and holiday home owners to join in new archaeological excavations taking place in September to help decipher more about the battle.
"Barmoor is very important to us," he said. "The park here is one of two known starting points of the Battle of Flodden. We want to piece together more about what happened next."
After opening the gates, Hazel Talbot said:
"It's been such an honour to be asked to open the gates and be part of what has been a momentous day. We love the area here around Barmoor. It's hard to believe 20 years have passed since we first came here. Our children grew up here. Now they're coming back with their partners. It's a real family base. The moment you come through those great gates you feel yourself unwind and are reminded this is a special place, not just for the views and atmosphere, but because of the history too which we've discovered so much more about today."
(To be able to share a little of this special day watch the video - click at the bottom of the home page)
