After 100 years of use and over 40 years of admiration, the Liverpool branch of the Salvation Army has taken down the iconic gates of their orphanage Strawberry Fields. The Woolton suburb has been a pilgrimage for Beatles fans wanting to gaze upon the gorgeous wrought iron gates that inspired John Lennon to write the 1967 hit. While the charity has tried to reassure music lovers that they would be getting exact replica gates, sadly the timeless magic of the ruby red gates went into storage with the originals.
Following in the steps of every music mecca monument, 40 years of graffiti covers the mossy brick walls around the Victorian gates bringing an added element of ultimate community to the abandoned site. There is something incredibly special of seeing such brilliant red handiwork in the midst of the northern England climate and general color palette. It stood out as a beacon of hope for wayward children, and stands out as a burst of light in the dreary streets of working class Liverpool.
The Salvation Army made a statement that the gates were "worn-out" and were being taken to a "secret storage facility", but when I visited last February the gates in question seemed to be in pretty good shape for being over 100 years old. They were beautiful and sturdy as I ran my hands over the flowers and decorative swirls. It was iconic, original, and free to see.
What was incredibly emotional about actually being present at the Strawberry Fields gates was how silent and calm the scene was. Being alone with the silence of the misty overgrown facility grounds covered in beautiful shades of green was a moment that I will never forget. While I was surprised at how small the gates actually were compaired to the monstrous mental image I had, they were beautiful and unlike anything I had ever seen, or will ever see again.
It's sad to see the gates leave their original home for the dusty basement of some storage facility, but the legacy and memories will continue to live on through the photos and whimsy of the music.
(the music video was shot nowhere near the real Strawberry Fields, but it is still fun)
All of the images are my own from my trip to Northern England in 2010. Special thanks to Emma Walker for helping me find the gates!
