With the rain holding off, work continued on the Chorley Pals Memorial site today (Monday 13th August).

Two stone benches have been installed and workers are removing the old wooden fence, ready for the installation of a new “knee high” barrier around the site boundary.

Most of the stone flags are down forming the paths and work should start later this week on some of the landscaping.

Here are the latest photographs from the Pals Memorial on the Flat Iron in Chorley taken this afternoon (Friday 3rd August).

Contractors have nearly completed the layout of the paths and started to lay some of the flags that will form the paths.

The bases for two interpretation boards have arrived on site, whilst the boards themselves are being prepared at Border Signs in Dumfries.

Our Secretary, World War One historian and author Steve Williams has researched and designed the two boards – one about the history of the Chorley Pals Company in the Great War and the other about the memorial itself from its inception in 2007 to unveiling in February 2010.

Work should be completed in the next two weeks, with the interpretation boards being the last items to be installed.

Commenting on progress to date, Steve Williams said: “Everything is on schedule and we are looking forward to the fences coming down so that people can enjoy the improvements to the memorial site.”

The work is being funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Chorley Council.

Signs went up yesterday (Saturday) advising curious onlookers what is going on at the Chorley Pals Memorial site on the Flat Iron in Chorley.

Sandstone flags forming the paving are on order and work should continue, weather permitting, on Monday.

The Chorley Pals Memorial, one year on

Our Secretary Steve Williams has been out and about with his camera again.

He took the following pictures of the Pals memorial on the Flat Iron in Chorley recently, just over a year since it was unveiled on Sunday, 28th February 2010.

The Memorial, March 2011

In that time, the memorial has become a local landmark and tourist attraction with visitors coming from as far as Southampton and Aberdeen to see it.

It is also interesting to see where photographs of the Pals memorial appear – there is one on the wall of The Hartwood hotel & restaurant in Chorley.

The memorial was designed by Preston sculptor Peter Hodgkinson

We’d love to hear from you if you see any pictures in other locations in Chorley or further afield.

As for the future, the Pals charity has plans to improve access to and around the memorial, as well as adding some interpretation boards with the history of the Pals Company and the three year project to erect the memorial.

Funding for the improvements will hopefully come from the Heritage Lottery Fund via the Chorley Remembers project; more news on that in September.

All photographs © 2011 Steve Williams.

The new Chorley Pals Memorial

Many people have been viewing Chorley’s new landmark this week, admiring the statue and looking at the 222 names of the Pals engraved on the plinth.

We’ve had many kind messages and compliments about the new statue since it was unveiled last Sunday via our website, through messages left on our official Facebook page and through coverage in the local and national media.

Thank you once again to all those who helped us to get the memorial to the Chorley Pals built, and for all of your kind support… we’re glad you like it!