The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

dhubthaigh

Thanks to IAN PETTIGREW for his kind permission to reproduce this photograph;

dhubthaigh · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 11:31 am Post subject:

I don't know too much of the background relating to this memorial other than it is the national tribute to those who fell in the Second World War. It is located on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond.

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 10:57 pm Post subject:

The 12,370 acre Rowardennan Estate was originally bought (in lieu of death duties) for the nation in 1950 using money from the National Land Fund.

the NLF had been set up in 1946 by Labour politician Hugh Dalton to buy land and property for the nation as a memorial for those who had died in the Second World War.

Unfortunately by the time this estate had been bought the politics of the country had changed and instead of this land being used by ordinary people the land was given to the Scottish office who promptly gave it over to the Forestry Commission.

The Fund also paid for the lodge which was given to the Scottish Youth Hostel Association, who still own it.

In 1953 the forests became part of the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park

In 1995 the Forestry Commission sold a large part of the estate to the National Trust and a partnership was formed along with the then Scottish office to manage the estate for the nation.

Finally after 45 years the land was going to be used for the purpose it was bought for in 1950.

For some reason it had to be bought again though and the National Heritage Memorial Fund (which replaced the NLF in 1980) bought the Rowardennan Estate for a second time for the nation.

In 1996 the estate was renamed the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park and was a memorial to all those who died in the Second World War. (I don't know if it is for Scots, Britons or all dead, and I've read it includes WW1 as well but given the NLF money was for WW2 dead I have my doubts about it commemorating the First World War)

On 11th November 1997 this memorial was unveiled by Donald Dewar MP.

In 2002 the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park formed the core of the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park.

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 11:01 pm Post subject:

From

http://www.publicartscotland.com/archives/75-National-Memorial

National Memorial

The National Trust for Scotland

Sep 1996 to May 1997

Ben Lomand National Park, Argyll & Bute

www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/1997/11/1bcd537f-eaff-469b-baaa-d239f0472582

This project resulted in a granite sculpture created by Doug Cocker, which sits amidst the Rowardennan landscape of the Ben Lomond National Park. The sculpture symbolises the link between the original 1950 Land Fund purchase, the commemoration of those who gave their lives during the Second World War and the permanent freedom for the nation which Ben Lomond represents. The sculpture acts as a particular focal point for the park as it frames and is framed by the landscape. The Secretary of State for Scotland, the Rt Honourable Donald Dewar MP officially opened the Park 11/11/1997 and unveiled the sculpture.

The SAC Officer’s Summary Report notes that the most important aspect of the proposal is that the brief is open to interpretation and therefore it is not expected that the artist will produce a memorial in the traditionally accepted sense. Such an approach to this type of commission should be encouraged and held as an example for others wishing to commission commemorative works.”

Artists
•Doug Cocker
Funding
SAC Award amount£45,000.00
Project total cost£60,000.00
Funding purposeTowards the cost of providing a symbol marking the link between 1950 Land Fund pruchase, 2nd World War and freedom for nation.
.(Please note dates and details correct at time of award.)

Consultation & Commissioning Process
The competition to select the artist was organised by the Scottish Sculpture Trust on behalf of the Scottish Office, the National Trust for Scotland and the Forestry Commission. Sixty-eight artists expressed an interest and, from these, a short-list of five were invited to submit details of their proposed artwork. Doug Cocker was awarded the commission.

The most important aspect of the proposal is that the brief is open to interpretation and therefore it is not expected that the artist will produce a memorial in the traditionally accepted sense. Such an approach to this type of commission should be encouraged and held as an example for others wishing to commission commemorative works.” (SAC assessor’s comment).

Outcomes
A new national monument for Scotland:

•The work comprises of a ring, three metres high, with a centred pyramid on its lower section. The pyramid’s apex is just below human eye level. The work is a balance of space and solid, acting as a foil for the receding waters of the loch..

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 11:13 pm Post subject:

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 11:31 pm Post subject:

I can't find anything on the new park organisation's website http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/ about the memorial at Rowardennan and the estate's history as a war memorial.

With the word 'memorial' being dropped from the park's title it looks like this part of Scotland will become a forgotten war memorial once again, after just a few years.

Adam

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 11:37 pm Post subject:

I have moved this memorial from the 'civic' to the 'other' section and changed its title.

Adam

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 11:42 pm Post subject:

Nothing on the NTS website about the estate's history. http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/Ben-Lomond/

However it does give an image of the estate in a pdf

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 11:45 pm Post subject:

The Forestry Commission Scotland website is no more use. Their part of the estate is now know as the East Loch Lomond Woodland

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/recreation.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/ScotlandStirlingQueenElizabethForestParkEastLochLomondWoodland

Adam Brown · Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 1:18 pm Post subject:

From the Scottish Government website

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/1997/11/1bcd537f-eaff-469b-baaa-d239f0472582

Donald Dewar opens Ben Lomond National Memorial Park

11/11/1997

The Secretary of State for Scotland, the Rt Hon Donald Dewar MP today officially opened the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park and unveiled a sculpture by Scottish artist, Doug Cocker, winner of the competition to design a permanent monument for the Park. Management of the Park is provided by the Forestry Commission and the National Trust for Scotland along with the Scottish Office.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Dewar said:

"Mr Cocker had a difficult task. He was invited, not to create a war memorial - the Park itself is the memorial - but to reflect the reasons for the creation of the Park. A sculpture which would on the one hand celebrate this wonderful landscape and our freedom to enjoy it, whilst also providing a focus for our thoughts of those who fought and died to maintain that freedom. The Park provides the opportunity for individual reflection and remembrance, but on this day in particular, we remember collectively all those who laid down their lives in the service of their country.

"The final work provides a fitting and impressive statement of the purpose of the Memorial Park.

"A few weeks ago I announced the Government's support for the creation of Scotland's first National Park here in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. The Memorial Park will form part of the National Park. This will allow the whole of the area to be managed in an integrated way with the emphasis on sustainable development.

"Clearly the Memorial Park management committee will wish to work closely with the National Park management in many areas, but realisation of the vision for the Memorial Park will remain with the Management Committee. It will be their responsibility to ensure that visitors to the Park have the opportunity not only to enjoy the natural heritage and the recreation opportunities, but also the opportunity to remember those to whom the Park is dedicated."

Describing his winning sculpture which is made of Karin grey granite, Mr Cocker said:

"The work comprises of a ring, three metres high, with a centred pyramid on its lower section. The pyramid's apex is just below human eye level. The work is a balance of space and solid, acting as a foil for the receding waters of the loch.

"Its pyramid echoes the distant Ben Vorlich and the nearby Loch Lomond. The configuration of slabs confirm a sense of perspective, implying a vanishing point at and beyond the pyramid's apex.

"The sculpture was designed to be sited on the small finger of land looking northward over the loch. Its configuration, context and backdrop very evidently invite looking through. It functions as a punctuation for the landscape in which it stands.

"The forms of the sculpture have no intended symbolism. It is a formalist object, seeking to explore and exploit material, proportion, space, light and vision."

BACKGROUND

1. The Forestry Commission, and the National Trust for Scotland are the principal partners along with The Scottish Office in the management of the Memorial Park.

2. The Ben Lomond National Memorial Park was created out of the former Rowardennan Estate on the east bank of Loch Lomond with the support of the National Heritage Memorial Fund. Most of the land is owned by Forest Enterprise and the National Trust for Scotland. At the request of the former Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Forsyth, a concordat was signed agreeing the area will be permanently protected as a memorial to those Scots who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Second World War.

3. A competition to select an artist to create a memorial feature for the Park was organised by the Scottish Sculpture Trust on behalf of the Scottish Office, the National Trust for Scotland and the Forestry Commission. Sixty-eight artists expressed an interest and, from these, a short-list of five were invited to submit details of their proposed artwork. Doug Cocker was awarded the commission.

News Release - 1702/97 Date November 11, 1997