By Joe Patton, Volunteer Project Leader for the KGV Community Wildflower Orchard.
Fields in Trust protect almost 3,000 parks and green spaces across the UK. We don’t often get the opportunity to share the unique stories, wonders, and quirks of each individual space, which is why we’re excited to kick off a new blog series that highlights a protected park each month.
In the first blog of the series, Joe Patton celebrates Harlech Community Council King George V Field, delving into the positive impacts it has on the local community and its appeal as a visitor attraction.
Harlech Community Council King George V Field is located in Harlech, North Wales. Harlech means "on a slope" or "beautiful slope", so the clue is in the name - there are lots of steep hills! Nestled within Eyri (Snowdonia) National Park, the town has a population of 1761 and is a World Heritage site famed for Harlech Castle, a Championship Golf Course, and miles of sandy beaches drawing in numerous tourists. These visitors, along with local residents, come together to enjoy our KGV field.
In 1939, a local architect was commissioned to design a playing field on a 2-hectare / 20,000 sq m parcel of land, reflecting the popular pastimes of the Georgian era. The Harlech KGV Field was part of a network of over 500 King George V Fields established across Britain by Fields in Trust to provide a protected oasis for local communities, which are still protected to this day.
Pictured: The Architects 1939 Drawing
After a decline in the use of the Field over time by children and families, a voluntary group asked:
(a) school children what play equipment they wanted,
(b) approached parents for family-friendly ideas, and
(c) consulted seniors on their preferences. The volunteer group successfully obtained grants to fund improvements.
Based on this needs survey, Harlech Community Council invested significantly in community projects including social events to bring the community together, modernising playgrounds, improving sports facilities, and sanctioning wildflower areas for nature to thrive.
Pictured from left to right: The tennis court, Band Hall Outdoor Music, The magician entertains!
The tennis court is a legacy of the 1939 design for the Harlech KGV and is just as popular now as it was 90 years ago.
The adjacent band hall is culturally significant, both in design and use. The exterior proudly displays the heraldic badge of the Prince of Wales, a title given to the heir to the British throne, who also serves as the President of Fields in Trust.
Bands perform indoors and outdoors raising funds for local causes. Yet the Hall’s primary user is the Harlech Silver Band. They bring Christmas to Harlech by playing Carols around the streets on Christmas Day and perform at local events on our KGV field.
The KGV field has hosted countless cherished moments. After COVID lockdowns, Harlech Community Council organised an event where voluntary groups set up fundraising stalls, bringing the community together for the first time in months. Children enjoyed a magician’s performance and adults relaxed, listening to many joyful tunes played by the Harlech Silver Band.
Pictured from left to right: Play area, Zip wire, Keep fit bicycles for everyone
Over the past 18 months, playground improvements have responded to:
Sport is an integral part of any playing field and ours is used for a variety of events. For the past 18 years, it has hosted an annual triathlon with a transition area for competitors to rotate between running, swimming, and cycling. A local football coach is introducing girls to the sport and floodlights surround a Rugby training ground that awaits re-seeding.
Pictured: Rugby Training Ground
The KGV Storyteller’s Chair is a major tourist attraction. It’s one of five storytelling chairs scattered around our town, each revealing the magical stories of Meirion through a QR reader. Meirion, a notable figure in Welsh history, founded the Kingdom of Meirion, which later evolved into Merionethshire. This eventually became Gwynedd, where the town of Harlech is located – making the fifth chair nestled in Harlech KGV Field the perfect spot for it.
Pictured: Storyteller's chair
Recent efforts to transform a quiet area into a vibrant wildflower orchard meadow have had overwhelming support and admiration. Our newly established wildflower garden is a beautiful and essential space for both nature and relaxation. Local children distribute the daffodils grown here to our elderly housebound community members on St. David’s Day.
We owe the preservation of KGV Field to the enduring legacy of King George V. The tireless efforts of volunteers and the strategic vision of Harlech Community Council our ‘Fields in Trust’ protected space is a flourishing public amenity - visit us and see for yourself!
The Harlech Community Council maintains and invests in the KGV field to ensure it serves our community as a safe place for play, sport, nature, and relaxation.