DARWIN GARDENS MILLENNIUM GREEN 

Site Features


Several original ideas to commemorate the millennium within Darwin Gardens are proposed below for consideration. These may be regarded as 'seeds' for features to be developed, modified or discarded as conditions permit in the evolution of the scheme. It is to be expected that further discussion and involvement with interested parties will naturally lead to alternative or additional proposals.

The proposers of this scheme are fully aware that its intention should be to celebrate a millennium Anno Domini' rather than merely Anno Darwinii', and have sought to embody an appropriately spiritual element within the overall design. It may be appreciated that a theme common to several of the features would be the symbolic merging and conciliation of ancient mythological sources, Biblical references, and modern scientific knowledge.

It is believed that such a 'marriage of ideas', reaffirming the possibility of a harmonious relationship between long-divided modes of thought, imbues the Darwin Gardens scheme with a suitably 'millennial' quality.

'New Beginnings'

Scrub clearance alongside the ghylls, with retention of selected trees would precede replanting, preferably with native wildflowers and appropriately-sited young trees. There would be considerable scope to attract both local sponsorship and group involvement in the planting scheme, which would stimulate and affirm our community's active committment to the future.

'Family Trees'

The present grassed areas would be augmented by landscaping part of the present 'car park' and provide a setting for planting individual commemorative trees to celebrate the lives of family members - or of societies and groups. With additional benches, this area could continue to be a focus for picnics and informal gatherings.

'Tree of Life'

A monument in the form of a time-dial could be constructed on the site of the former bandstand, surrounding a planted specimen tree. This monument, based on the theme of the 'Tree of Life', could also include references to the evolutionary tree arising from Darwin's discoveries, and be laid out in the style of a mosaic, referring to Ilkley's Roman heritage. It would have an additional local connection with an important local prehistoric carved stone known as the 'Tree of Life Stone', and would celebrate the continuing spirit of environmental regeneration in the local landscape.

'Rock of Ages'

A further feature could be a 'Rock of Ages; essentially a series of pictorial and symbolic designs in the spirit of the ancient ones found on the adjacent moor, to be carved on the boulder wall of the former loggia. These could depict life forms illustrative of stages in evolutionary development, and hence constitute another link with Darwin's work, as well as celebrating the diversity of life. This is another feature that lends itself to sponsorship financing, as each carved design could be selected and/or sponsored by schools, businesses, community groups and societies, private individuals, etc.

'Living Waters'

It has been suggested that the last remaining wall and former water supply of the demolished toilets (built into the side of one of the ghylls) could be converted to a mural with working spout, symbolising the regenerative 'Water of Life', and reflecting the spirit of the famed hydropathic treatments of the locality.

'Millennium Maze'

This proposal is for a maze to be laid out using gritstone flags or setts, a vernacular material for surfacing paths across the moors in this area of the Pennines. The design of the maze would be based on the 'fylfot' - an ancient symbol found as another prehistoric rock carving on the famous 'Swastika Stone' of nearby Rombalds Moor. Designs based on those of Ilkley's Anglian crosses would also be incorporated, for the whole work to symbolise the evolution of mankind's spiritual development over the millennia.

'Darwin's View'

Charles Darwin was arguably the greatest Victorian visitor to Ilkey. A suitable memorial could be placed at the top end of the site, adjacent to one of the entrances to the former hydro of Wells House and looking down to 'Hillside', the house where Darwin and his family stayed. The memorial could be in the form of a metal plaque bearing a likeness worked in Victorian style and mounted on a local fossil-bearing boulder. This would commemorate Darwin's achievements in the field of evolutionary biology.

'Millennial Vision'

The lower end of the site could be an ideal location for a monument to mark the creation of 'Darwin Gardens'. One suitable design could be a figure of 'Janus' (as already used to mark the gateways of the Roman Fort), in this instance celebrating the turn of the Millennium, and our view back to the rich heritage of Ilkley's past, allied to our inspired vision for the future, as exemplified by the scheme of commemoration and regeneration at West View Park.

The location of Darwin Gardens is itself an appropriate one for a Millennial scheme: poised midway between the relatively primitive 'wilderness' of the Moor and the civilised settlement of the Town, it symbolises the human situation conceived as a balance between body and mind - our primal, physical natures and our intellectual, spiritual aspirations.

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