Friday Photo: Barr Beacon War Memorial

Today’s Friday photo is Barr Beacon War Memorial in Walsall, near the Birmingham boarder.  In 1919 the land of Barr Beacon was gifted to the local people by Lieutenant Colonel Wilkinson, who bought it after the break-up of the surrounding Great Barr Hall Estate. In 1933, this beautiful structure was erected at the summit to honour the men and women of Staffordshire and Warwickshire who fell during WWI. It was built in the classical revival style and designed by Batemans architects of Birmingham, built as an Octagonal limestone structure with a domed copper roof.  Over the years it has suffered vandalism and theft, however, a recent lottery funded initiative saw it repaired and on 7^th November 2014 it was rededicated to all lives lost in 20^th and 21^st Century conflicts. Barr Beacon is one of the highest points in the West Midlands, and on a clear day views can stretch as far as Wales.  For centuries the site has been used for community celebration, with beacon fires lit to mark historic milestones such as Sir Francis Drake’s defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 and more recently in 2012 to mark the Queen’s Golden Jubillee. It is also one of just six sites in the country to be awarded Dark Sky Discovery Status, which is an  innovative network of national and local astronomy and open space organisations that helps people to enjoy the night sky.