North Wales Heroes’ Memorial, Bangor. (Architectural Competition)

NORTH WALES HEROES’ MEMORIAL - The Welsh National Eisteddfod prize of £100 for a design for the North Wales Heroes’ Memorial, for erection in the grounds of the University College, at a cost of £15,000, has been awarded by Mr Gilbert Scott ARA to Mr D Wynne Thomas MSA, Old St Paul’s Vicarage, Bolton. Mr Gilbert Scott says the design is refined, scholarly, and displays architectural sense of style superior to the forty other designs sent for open competition. Its simplicity and restraint produces a dignity in keeping with the purpose of the memorial, and the contrasts between plain surface and enrichment are effective, but it requires modifications, as it is hardly imposing enough for the site. Mr Gilbert Scott adds several suggestions for attaining the object indicated. Mr Thomas was announced during the Eisteddfod to be the winner of the ten guinea prize offered for the best design for a memorial hall and facade thereof to seat about 1,000 people. It is intended that the names of the fallen shall be recorded suitably in books or on screens. There being from 8,000 to 10,000 names, it was felt that so large a number could not be cut into the wall surfaces. The committee do not bind themselves to use the successful design, but, if it is adopted, remuneration in addition to the ,100 prize will be paid. The memorial is to cost no more than £15,000. [Building News 23 September 1921 page 184].

NORTH WALES HEROES’ MEMORIAL – DESIGN PRIZE WON BY BOLTON ARCHITECT - The Welsh National Eisteddfod prize of £100 for a design for the North Wales Heroes’ Memorial, for erection in the grounds of the University College, at a cost of £15,000, has been awarded by Sir Gilbert Scott to Mr D Wynne Thomas MSA, Old St Paul’s Vicarage, Bolton. Mr Gilbert Scott says the design is refined, scholarly, and displays architectural sense of style superior to the forty other designs sent for open competition. Its simplicity and restraint produce a dignity in keeping with the purpose of the memorial, and the contrasts between plain surface and enrichment are effective, but it requires modifications, as it is hardly imposing enough for the site. Mr Gilbert Scott adds several suggestions for attaining the object indicated. [Manchester Guardian 17 September 1921 page 11]

At a meeting of the committee of the North Wales Heroes Memorial at Bangor last Saturday when the question of the final form of actual memorial was thoroughly discussed, the general consensus of opinion was in favour of erection of an arch in the great quadrangle of Bangor University College from designs by Mr. Wynne Thomas, of Bolton, the winner of the prize of £100 offered at the Carnarvon National Eisteddfod of 1921 for best design for the North Wales Heroes Memorial, which includes science  department buildings as well as the memorial proper. [Building News 17 March 1922 page 191]

SELECTED DESIGN FOR THE NORTH WALES HEROES’ MEMORIAL, BANGOR - The National Eisteddfod offered a prize of £100 for the best design suitable for erection in the grounds of the University College at Bangor' Lord Plymouth and Sir Aston Webb, R,A, acted as advisers to the promotors. Mr. G. Gilbert Scott, R.A. subsequently was appointed professional referee to decide upon the choice to be made from the forty-one designs submitted in the open competition for the work. which was restricted to the cost of £15,000. He selected as the most refined, scholarly and architecturally superior the design illustrated herewith. The site selected, measuring 100 feet wide and 115 feet deep, is situated on Ffordd Deiniol, and on axial line to the road between the City Council offices (Old Bishop's Palace) and the General Post Office. The memorial is in the form of a rotunda. having an external diameter of 35 feet. and raised on a terrace 60 feet square. There is a single entrance with bronze doors which contain modelled panels portraying figures and subjects typical of the Great War. The entrance admits directly to the interior with seven niches. alternately rectangular and semi- circular in plan. In the centre stands a low sarcophagus of white and black marble with bronze candelabra at the corners. Upon the sarcophagus and under suitable protection will be placed the roll of honour bool, recording on pages of lambskin the names of the fallen. In the rectangular niche directly opposite the entrance a duplicate printed volume of the names will be provided for public use. This niche will have direct light from a window having an elaborately designed bronze grille. Office accommodation is provided at each side of the entrance for the use of Keeper to the Memorial. Light is admitted through an opening glazed with Luxfer prisms 9 feet in diameter at the top of the coffered dome. The exterior walls and roof will have Portland stone facings. The interior will be decorated with scagliola marbles, polished black marble skirtings and bases; columns of Verae Artico scagliola, the floor of white, black, and alpine green marbles. The coffered dome in stuc. of cream and gold panels of pale blue finishings. The author of this, the chosen scheme, is Mr. D. Wynne-Thomas. MSA of Bolton, and he estimated its cost at £14,000. 

Since his  design was accepted the scheme has been changed and Mr Wynne-Thomas is now engaged upon a different form of memorial which is to comprise a gatehouse for the College property at Bangor with a hall on the first floor in which the names of the fallen heroes of North Wales will be set out on oak wainscot panelling. We hope to illustrate this final scheme in due course. [[Building News 26 May 1922 page 352}

Reference    Building News 23 September 1921 page 184 - architectural competition
Reference    Manchester Guardian 17 September 1921 page 11
Reference    Building News 18 November 1921 page 322 - appointed architect
Reference    Building News 26 May 1922 page 352