From picnics to parties and floral displays to fireworks, the streets are set to come alive next month as the country celebrates the Coronation of King Charles III.
On Saturday May 6th, 2023, the Coronation of The King and The Queen Consort will take place at Westminster Abbey with a service conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Across the weekend, people will be invited to come together to mark the historic occasion, with music and pageantry at the heart of the traditional state event.
Coronation ceremonies can be traced back more than 1,000 years for the monarchs of England and Scotland, and the United Kingdom is the only European monarchy to retain the ceremony with Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation taking place on June 2nd, 1953.
Historical records from this time and other Coronation events, including a diary kept by Queen Victoria from her Coronation in 1838, have enabled us to gain fascinating insights into life during these occasions.
Monuments, art, sculptures and also street furniture have been created over the years to leave a legacy for people in the future.
And this year’s Coronation is another exciting opportunity for communities to invest in commemorative seating, planters, bandstands and other additions to the landscape in honour of the event.
Creating a lasting cultural memory
Art education charity Art UK believes objects such as street furniture are an accessible way for people to learn about history, particularly events in their local area.
It could be a waymarker or sculptural bench which teaches residents and visitors about artistic style and taste or a statue reflecting social values and traditions.
It believes each object contributes to place and community identity and are woven into the fabric of a location, sometimes without people realising their important position in history while others have become a focal point for subsequent ceremonies.
You can read more about Art UK’s project to record these landmarks here: ART UK
Meanwhile the Royal Collection Trust is showcasing objects from the collection which relate to previous Coronation events on its website.
As well as photographs and medals the collections also includes records made by monarchs themselves such as written works and illustrations.
Royal Collection Trust resources page shows photographs depicting street parties, public holidays, garden planting, illuminations and dancing, some dating back to the Coronation of King George VI in 1937.
From Lamp Posts to Litter Bins is a blog from Historic England which also lifts the lid on how street furniture has evolved in response to changes in society.
The blog explores the origins of public benches and signage and the use of bollards in protecting important buildings, just like Broxap’s Hanchurch ductile iron bollards in front of Buckingham Palace.
Commemorative street furniture for the Coronation
Investing in new outdoor seating and park benches is an ideal way to make a lasting improvement to mark the Coronation in 2023.
Creating attractive and inviting outdoor spaces brings people together to celebrate, to socialise and to reap the benefits of spending time in the fresh air.
Projects could choose seating to match that found in The Royal Parks like our Regency Seat or the Rotherham Seat.
Alternatively communities can maintain their own identity and style of street furniture and choose to add a commemorative plaque to the bench dedicated to the event.
Our laser cutting facilities have already been utilised by parish councils across the UK installing new planters to mark the ascension of King Charles – an optional extra that can be incorporated into other products such as litter and recycling bins.
Or it could be that existing green spaces, recreation grounds and parks are given a royal makeover fit for the King with the addition of the likes of bandstands.
Urban areas can celebrate the King’s passion for the environment with new tree planting or flower baskets – or combine both with our Seated Planter range.
Even fingerposts directing visitors and tourists to royal locations can help bring the Coronation story to life.
Contact our teams today or visit our Coronation collection and start creating a legacy for your community.