For the stadium in Rhode Island, see Pierce Memorial Field.
Evan Pierce Memorial Garden
Public park
LocationDenbigh, Denbighshire, Wales
Coordinates53.1856°N 3.4137°W
Created1874-87
OperatorDenbighshire County Council
StatusOpen year round
Pierce Memorial Garden
Designation1 offnamePierce Memorial Garden
Designation 1Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales
Designation1 free1nameListing
Designation1 free1valueGrade II
Designation1 date1 February 2022
Designation1 numberPGW(C)66(DEN)
Designation 2Grade II* listed building
Designation2 offnamePierce's Memorial
Designation2 date24 October 1950
Designation2 number1049
Designation 3Grade II listed building
Designation3 offnameJubilee Fountain to the N of Pierce's Memorial
Designation3 date2 February 1981
Designation3 number1050
Designation 4Grade II listed building
Designation4 offnameJubilee Fountain to the NW of Pierce's Memorial
Designation4 date2 February 1981
Designation4 number1051

The Pierce Memorial Garden is an urban park in the town of Denbigh, in Denbighshire, Wales. It was constructed between 1874 and 1887 and commemorates Evan Pierce who donated the land. Pierce, a doctor, sat on Denbigh Town Council for 50 years and served five terms of office as mayor. The garden is registered Grade II on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales. The statue depicting Pierce is listed at Grade II*. The park is managed by Denbighshire County Council.

History and description

Evan Pierce was born in Denbigh and trained as a doctor. He later worked as the County coroner for Denbighshire. He sat as an alderman on Denbigh town council for over 50 years and served as mayor on five occasions.[1] While a medical student in Edinburgh, and subsequently in practice in his home town, Pierce gained considerable public recognition for his work in combatting the cholera pandemic.[2] In recognition of this, and of his other works in the town, a public subscription was raised to construct a commemorative garden. Pierce himself donated the land for the garden in the early 1870s,[a] the foundation stone was laid in 1872 and work continued for another decade, the column being completed in 1885.[1][b] Pierce also funded the two fountains at the entrance to the garden, erected to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887.[3][c]

The gardens were restored in 2007 by Purcell Miller Triton.[4]

The memorial set within the park is a column topped by a statue of Pierce.[5] The statue was sculpted by W. and T. Wills, the column by Martin Underwood and the relief panels on the column are by Mario Raggi.[6] The memorial is a Grade II* listed structure[1] and the garden is listed Grade II on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.[7] The two fountains are listed at Grade II.[8][9]

Footnotes

  1. ^ Pierce was a noted benefactor of Denbigh. Near to the garden is the Dr Evan Pierce Memorial Hall, which he built at his own expense in memory of his mother.[10]
  2. ^ Cadw notes the peculiarity of the memorial being erected in Pierce's lifetime.[1]
  3. ^ Jo Darke, in her study, The Monument Guide to England and Wales, records that, on his death in 1895, Pierce was put on display for public veneration; "propped up in his coffin, wearing black bow tie and pork pie hat."[11]

References

  1. ^
  2. ^ "The late Dr Evan Pierce - Obituary in the Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register". National Library of Wales. 23 March 1895. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  3. ^ Hubbard 2003, p. 149.
  4. ^ Welch, Adrian (18 June 2007). "Dr Evan Pierce Gardens: Memorial, Denbigh". e-Architect. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  5. ^ "Pierce Memorial Garden - Denbigh". Parks & Gardens UK. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  6. ^
  7. ^
  8. ^
  9. ^
  10. ^
  11. ^ Darke 1991, pp. 113–114.

Sources