Alkmaar Garden - Bath, Somerset - UK Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

"The area known as Orange Grove was originally a ‘litten’ or churchyard for Bath Abbey, located close to the waters of the hot springs and at the core of an ancient city of pilgrimage and healing. The Saxon monastery church on this site was established around 757 AD, and four hundred years later a vast Norman Cathedral was built in 1091.

Orange Grove became an open space for public use in 1572, establishing it as an area for recreation and entertainment. In 1734 Richard ‘Beau’ Nash, the master of ceremonies in Bath, renamed this area ‘Orange Grove’ and erected the Obelisk in the centre to commemorate the visit of the Prince of Orange to Bath. The layout of the grove dramatically changed, becoming more formal with avenues of trees separated by gravel walks.

At the end of World War II a monument to the years of conflict was created in Orange Grove when tulips that were a gift from Alkmaar, Bath’s twin town in the Netherlands, were planted in the central garden of Orange Grove, which became known as the Alkmaar Garden. The gift had been made to commemorate the liberation of the Netherlands from Nazi occupation and Bath continues to receive a gift of tulip bulbs from Alkmaar every year."

SOURCE - (visit link)

The text on the upper tablet reads:

Alkmaar Garden
Commemorating the bond of friendship between the two ancient cities of Bath & Alkmaar founded on the liberation of the Netherlands 5 May 1945
'Nederland Zal Herrijzen'

The text on the lower tablet reads:

1945 - 2003
Alkmaar - Bath
This garden was rededicated on 23rd May 2003 to celebrate the continued friendship between the two cities.
In the presence of the Mayors of Bath and Alkmaar
Presented by the Bath Alkmaar Twinning Association

Type of Historic Marker: Plaque Related Website: [Web Link] Give your Rating: Historical Marker Issuing Authority: Not listed Age/Event Date: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please submit your visiting log with a picture of the object and include some interesting information about your visit.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.