Date: December 2013
Entrance Gates Newtown Park, Mansfield Street, Newtown, Wellington
Newtown Park entrance gates, Newtown Park, Mansfield Street, Newtown, Wellington (Photo: Google Maps)
Summary of heritage significance • The Newtown Park entrance gates are associated with Newtown Park and the prominent role it has played in Newtownians’ and Wellingtonians’ social and recreational lives. Newtown Park was the first park created from Wellington’s town belt and since 1881 has provided an excellent sporting and recreational facility. • The Newtown Park entrance gates contribute significantly to a sense of continuity to the park. The park opened in 1881, and has undergone many transformations since then. Very little of the park’s original fabric remains. The gates are a reminder of the park’s lengthy history and continued use by Wellingtonians. • The Newtown Park entrance gates have architectural value for the quality of the design, ornamentation, and craftsmanship.
1 Date: December 2013
District Plan: Map 6, reference 40 Legal Description: Pt Lot 1 DP 8754 Heritage Area: No HPT Listed: No Archaeological Site: Risk unknown Other Names: - Key physical dates: 1881: Construction Architect / Builder: Unknown Former uses: Civic – gates and fence Current uses: Civic – gates and fence Earthquake Prone Status: Unknown at time of writing
Extent: Cityview GIS 2013
2 Date: December 2013
1.0 Outline History
1.1 History
Newtown Park was the first park created from Wellington’s town belt, opening in 1881. Newtown Park initially included a promenade, a band rotunda, formal gardens, and a reservoir. The zoo was also originally part of the park.1
The ground quickly became a hub of sporting meets. In 1882 it hosted two international rugby games between the visiting New South Wales and Wellington. The first match was attended by 5000 spectators, near a quarter of Wellington’s 21,000 population, and including New Zealand’s acting Governor Sir James Prendergast. Newtown Park continued to be used as an international rugby venue until 1896 when Athletic Park on Rintoul Street took over.
In 1900 Newtown Park was utilised for a very different purpose when it was used as a camp for soldiers waiting to leave for the Boer War. The Film Archive has footage of soldiers leaving the park with their soldiers for the docks. It is supposedly the oldest film in New Zealand’s history. Newtown Park would be used for similar purposes for both World War 1 and 2.
Newtown Park was the site of royal visits in 1927 and 1934. In 1927 the park hosted a carnival day for the Duke and Duchess of York during their stay in Wellington. In 1934 the park hosted the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of York’s younger brother.
Newtown Park was also the scene of labour protests. Striking wharfies met at Newtown Park in 1912 and 1913.2 In 1913 the strike included the Waterside Workers’ band.3
Over Newtown Park long life a consistent focus has been sports, hosting numerous meets from numerous sports. In 1971 this focus was honed when Newtown Park became Wellington’s main track and field venue, taking over from Evans Bay. The venue has hosted some of New Zealand’s most accomplished athletes, including John Walker, Dick Quax, Rod Dixon, Lorraine Moller, Valerie Adams, and overseas stars such as Maria Mutola and Lasse Viren. In 2014 and 2015 it will host the national track and field championships.
Football also has a long history with the park, having hosted the Chatham Cup final in 1925, 1927, 1989, and 2012, and the women’s national league final in 2007. Newtown Park is now the practice field of the Wellington Phoenix.
Newtown Park is not the same hallowed turf it once was. However, the role it has played in Newtown and Wellington’s social and recreational life is long and distinguished.
The entrance gates’ heritage value is that they are a surviving relic of Newtown Park’s beginning. They speak of the park’s long history and of its past prestige.
1 Much of this history is taken from Adriana Weber, ‘Newtown Park’s long history’, The Wellingtonian, 3 October 2013, last accessed December 2013, at http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local- papers/the-wellingtonian/9238285/Newtown-Parks-long-history 2 Ibid. 3 'Waterside Workers' band at Newtown Park during 1913 strike', Ministry for Culture and Heritage, updated 22 October 2013, last accessed December 2013 at http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/waterside-workers-brass-band
3 Date: December 2013
1.2 Timeline of modifications
1881: Construction
1.3 Ownership history
1881-present: Wellington City Council
1.4 Occupation history
N/A
1.5 Architect
Unknown
2.0 Physical description
2.1 Architecture
The Newtown Park entrance gates entail several components. The gates are two sets of identical formation, configured, from outside to in, of turnstiles; vehicular gates; pedestrian gate. Separating the two sets is a small island of green with two large trees, and bounded by a rail and chain fence.
The turnstiles and gates are ornamental wrought iron. They are painted in Wellington green and yellow, and hung on concrete and brick columns.
2.2 Materials
Wrought iron gates hung on brick and concrete columns.
2.3 Setting
The Newtown Park entrance gates lie at the end of Mansfield Street. It is not a prestigious setting. The gates’ end of Mansfield Street is dominated by council apartment towers, while through the gates are car parks and an access road around the park. The finery of the gates and ornamentation is lost to the surroundings.
4 Date: December 2013
Sources
Weber, Adriana. ‘Newtown Park’s long history’. The Wellingtonian. 3 October 2013. Last accessed December 2013, at http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local- papers/the-wellingtonian/9238285/Newtown-Parks-long-history
Wellington City Council. ‘Heritage > Newtown & Berhampore’. Last accessed December 2013 at http://www.wcl.govt.nz/heritage/newtownberhampore.html
Photos
'Waterside Workers' band at Newtown Park during 1913 strike'. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Updated 22 October 2013. Last accessed December 2013 at http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/waterside-workers-brass-band
'Newtown Park military camp, 1900 '. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Updated 20 December 2012. Last accessed December 2013 at http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/newtown-park-camp
'Soldier's horses feeding at Newtown Park, 1900'. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Updated 20 December 2012. Last accessed December 2013 at http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/horses-feeding-newtown-camp
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Criteria for assessing cultural heritage significance
Cultural heritage values
Aesthetic Value: Architectural: Does the item have architectural or artistic value for characteristics that may include its design, style, era, form, scale, materials, colour, texture, patina of age, quality of space, craftsmanship, smells, and sounds?
The Newtown Park entrance gates have architectural value for the quality of the design, ornamentation, and craftsmanship.
Townscape: Does the item have townscape value for the part it plays in defining a space or street; providing visual interest; its role as a landmark; or the contribution it makes to the character and sense of place of Wellington?
Group: Is the item part of a group of buildings, structures, or sites that taken together have coherence because of their age, history, style, scale, materials, or use?
Historic Value: Association: Is the item associated with an important person, group, or organisation?
Association: Is the item associated with an important historic event, theme, pattern, phase, or activity?
The Newtown Park entrance gates are associated with Newtown Park and the prominent role it has played in Newtownians’ and Wellingtonians’ social and recreational lives. Newtown Park was the first park created from Wellington’s town belt and since 1881 has provided an excellent sporting and recreational facility.
Scientific Value: Archaeological: Does the item have archaeological value for its ability to provide scientific information about past human activity?
Educational: Does the item have educational value for what it can demonstrate about aspects of the past?
Technological: Does the item have technological value for its innovative or important construction methods or use of materials?
Social Value: Public esteem: Is the item held in high public esteem?
Symbolic, commemorative, traditional, spiritual: Does the item have symbolic, commemorative, traditional, spiritual or other cultural value for the community who has used and continues to use it?
Identity/Sense of place/Continuity: Is the item a focus of community, regional, or national identity? Does the item contribute to sense of place or continuity?
The Newtown Park entrance gates contribute significantly to a sense of continuity to the park. The park opened in 1881, and has undergone many transformations since
6 Date: December 2013
then. Very little of the park’s original fabric remains. The gates are a reminder of the park’s lengthy history and continued use by Wellingtonians.
Sentiment/Connection: Is the item a focus of community sentiment and connection?
Level of cultural heritage significance Rare: Is the item rare, unique, unusual, seminal, influential, or outstanding?
Representative: Is the item a good example of the class it represents?
The Newtown Park entrance gates are very good examples of late nineteenth century craftsmanship and design.
Authentic: Does the item have authenticity or integrity because it retains significant fabric from the time of its construction or from later periods when important additions or modifications were carried out?
Local/Regional/National/International Is the item important for any of the above characteristics at a local, regional, national, or international level?
The Newtown Park entrance gates are important at a local level.
7 Date: December 2013
3.0 Appendix
Research checklist (desktop)
Source Y/N Comments 1995 Heritage Inventory 2001 Non-Residential heritage Inventory WCC Records – building file WCC Records – grant files (earthquake strengthening, enhancement of heritage values) Research notes from 2001 Non-Residential heritage Inventory Plan change? Heritage Area Report Heritage Area Spreadsheet Heritage items folder
(electronic) HPT website HPT files Conservation Plan Searched Heritage Library
(CAB 2)
Background research
Insert any relevant background information into this section. This may include: • Additional plans, such as those for alterations • Chunks of text from other sources such as Cyclopedia of NZ, Papers Past • Additional images
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