The Peace Gardens is located on Bath Row and is surrounded by Washington Street, Ridley Street and Granville Street.

The Peace Garden (April 2009). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The Peace Garden railings and gates were designed by Anuradha Patel in 1995 and were made of steel. More information here Anuradha Patel Peace Garden.

The Peace Garden from Bath Row (December 2019). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The gardens are laid out in an area around a circle in the middle, with a Message of Peace on Earth. Pair of entrance gates on Granville Street and one on Ridley Street. The main entrance gates are on Washington Street.

St Thomas' Peace Garden (July 2019). Photography Karl Newton

 

The remains were restored, and trees planted in the gardens. There is also benches here for you to sit, relax and reflect.

St Thomas' Peace Garden (July 2019). Photography Karl Newton

 

History of the Peace Gardens

St Thomas's Church was completed in 1829, one of the so called 'Waterloo Churches'. Built following the victory at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

St Thomas' Church - public domain from the British Library. Taken from Four old Birmingham Churches.

 

It survived until the Birmingham Blitz in 1940 when German bombs destroyed it. It was never rebuilt.

St Thomas's Church ruins at the Peace Garden (December 2016). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The ground were laid out for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The Peace Garden was redesigned in 1995 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the end of World War 2.

Message of Peace at The Peace Garden (April 2009). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The First World War Colonnade built in 1925 in what is now Centenary Square (near the Hall of Memory), was relocated here when the first Centenary Square was being built from 1989. It opened at the Peace Gardens in 1990.

Colonnade at The Peace Garden (March 2009). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

World leaders of the G8 came to the Peace Garden in 1998, each planting a tree and unveiling a plaque, including Tony Blair (British PM from 1997 - 2007) and Bill Clinton (US President from 1993 - 2001).

G8 plaque at The Peace Garden (April 2009). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Plaques of Peace

A selection of the plaques of peace and memorials at the Peace Garden.

National Service Memorial to Peace.

National Service Memorial to Peace plaque at the Peace Garden (November 2017). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

British Nuclear Tests Veterans Association.

British Nuclear Tests Veterans Association at plaque at the Peace Garden (April 2009). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Message of  peace from Sicily.

Message of peace from Sicily plaque at the Peace Garden (March 2020). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The Commonwealth

Three wooden totems carved by Graham Jones woodcarver. One represents the Commonwealth of Nations founded 1949. The second represents the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. And the third has buildings on it such as Birmingham Town Hall, the Rotunda and the Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower (Old Joe).

The Commonwealth wooden sculptures (December 2023). Photography by Elliott Brown