Description of Historic Place

Queen Elizabeth Park, also known as the Town Square, is located in the hub of the Newcastle downtown business district in the City of Miramichi. It is bounded by Henry, Ellen and Jail streets and Newcastle Boulevard. It contains park grounds and amenities, several monuments and a gazebo.

Heritage Value

Queen Elizabeth Park is designated a Local Historic Place for the different activities that took place here and for its association with Lord Beaverbrook.

Queen Elizabeth Park is recognized for its continued use by the community and the local government for public functions and events. Initially the County Lot in 1790 and the site of a hanging of a convicted murderer in 1797, it has also served as a place for travelling circuses, the town dump and a skating rink. By circa 1870, efforts to beautify the park were commenced and it has functioned as the same ever since. It also serves as the home of several locally significant monuments, including a war memorial, an emigrant pioneer monument, and the Louise Manny Monument, honouring the local author, historian and founder of the Miramichi Folksong Festival.

In 1956, the County deeded Queen Elizabeth Park to Max Aitken (Lord Beaverbrook) who, in turn beautified it and gifted it to the former Town of Newcastle, now part of the City of Miramichi. Renowned Oscar Nemon's bronze bust of Beaverbrook located in the park became the resting place of Beaverbrook's ashes in September 1964.

Source: City of Miramichi Heritage Office - Beaverbrook House - Historic Places File #06-70

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe Queen Elizabeth Park include:
- landscaped public green space;
- Italian gazebo originally built for Bramshill House, circa 1740, comprised of slender stone columns supporting delicate geometric wrought iron dome;
- white granite war memorial flanked by two refitted gas lamps originating from Dorchester House in London;
- six refitted gas lamps made up of two globes centered by the royal crown cast from the smelting of a captured Russian cannon from the Crimean War and originating from Admiralty House in London, England;
- juniper hedge encompassing an ornate 18th century sundial originating from Copt Hall in Essex, England;
- Beaverbrook Monument honouring emigrant pioneers in Miramichi;
- bronze bust of Lord Beaverbrook with interred ashes mounted on sandstone base;
- view plane of Miramichi River from Beaverbrook's interred ashes;
- centrally located water fountain constructed of locally quarried sandstone;
- Louise Manny Monument honouring the author, local historian and founder of the Miramichi Folksong Festival.