Railing Fences Gates
Avenham and Miller Parks, Preston
Lost Art have undertaken a considerable amount of work over a 6 year period as the restoration project has progressed in phases. This includes a variety of styles of railings and fencing, including bespoke railings, reproductions of original railings and repairs to existing fencing. The following images highlight the range of railing and fencing styles available from Lost Art. We now carry a large and ever increasing library of historic railing designs and patterns, ready to be used to produce the required quantities of railings and finials, large or small and are always willing to produce new patterns and designs, either to match missing originals or to match designs produced by project architects.
The image above illustrates bespoke fencing produced for the Avenham Walk area and is installed alongside a Coalbrookdale Foundry design of urn, also produced and installed by Lost Art.
Similarly, the historic design of railings shown above was produced and installed on top of the Belvedere structure which, as the name suggests, provides views over the park from a high vantage point.
The railings at the entrance to the Avenham Walk were reproduced and installed by Lost Art to match the original installation shown in contemporary illustrations. This was combined with the production and installation of the distinctive Victorian design cast iron bollards which originally prevented access by horse and cart and now serve to exclude motorised vehicles from this quiet corner of historic Preston.
The railings installed around the Belvedere and a number of locations around the park features cast iron posts plus square section lengths of iron worked to fit the required contours of the situations in which they are installed. Two features are noteworthy. Firstly, the iron cross rails are arranged ‘on the diamond’ which provides a slightly more decorative look to the installation as well as providing less of a surface area for inappropriate use, such as sitting or ‘balancing’. Secondly, the images show different configurations of the railings, with a double cross rail arrangement being installed between the archways of the building, whereas single rail posts and rails are installed elsewhere.
The image of the Belvedere building itself also displays a pair of substantial gates that were also produced and installed by Lost Art as part of the project. The image above illustrates the railings on the steps approaching the Belvedere.
An interesting feature of the work carried out by Lost Art is the design, production and installation of bespoke cast-iron ‘bamboo’ fencing which surrounds the feature Japanese Garden within the park. This unique creation provides a substantial yet decorative, contextually appropriate and visually appealing aspect to this central and popular area of the park. Lost Art are always happy to discuss new and innovative additions to our portfolio of work.
In addition to the railings themselves, we were also asked to design, produce and install feature gates that are sympathetic to and complement the railings themselves.
Considerable amount of these substantial railings, featuring fluted, conical finials have been installed at a number of locations throughout the park.
The fencing panels are supported by larger cast posts which feature a larger version of the finial, plus additional decorative elements that also provide support for the fixing of the railings in a manner that is both functional and visually interesting.
The railing design was also incorporated into a number of gates throughout the park, these were also produced and installed as part of the overall package and is again representative of the overarching services that Lost Art can provide for a project.
The Ivy Bridge gates shown below not only feature the conical topped railings but also include distinctively shaped urns, produced in cast iron to replicate those shown on original photographs of the installation but missing by the time of the restoration project.
A further design of railing is shown surrounding the location of the two reproduction Crimean War cannons that were produced to replace the examples melted down for scrap during the 1960’s.
The installations shows both straight and curved sections of fencing and features a classic design of finial which can be found in numerous Victorian parks throughout the country, as well as surrounding or fronting substantial properties of the Victorian and Edwardian periods.
Avenham Belevedere Post Single Rail
The following three images including that above demonstrates how the use of similar components along with different decorative supports can produce distinctive yet complimentary railings and fencing, adding interest to a relatively small area.
Avenham Belevedere Post Twin Rail
The addition of a double rail support to the same crossrail as featured on the previous image offers an additional levels of apparent security and solidity well maintaining a decorative appearance.
Avenham Diamond Post
A simpler railing, illustrating that Lost Art are able to produce both straight and curved sections of railing.