War Memorial, St Mary's Churchyard

St Mary's Churchyard, Church Lane, Prestwich, Greater Manchester

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Overview

First World War memorial, 1921, by Isaac Taylor of Taylor & Young, with Second World War dates added later. Portland stone cross with a bronze sword. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1411837
Date first listed:: 08-Nov-2013
List Entry Name:: War Memorial, St Mary's Churchyard
Statutory Address:: St Mary's Churchyard, Church Lane, Prestwich, Greater Manchester

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1411837
Date first listed:: 08-Nov-2013
List Entry Name:: War Memorial, St Mary's Churchyard
Statutory Address 1:: St Mary's Churchyard, Church Lane, Prestwich, Greater Manchester

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: St Mary's Churchyard, Church Lane, Prestwich, Greater Manchester

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Bury (Metropolitan Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: SD8112303693

Summary

First World War memorial, 1921, by Isaac Taylor of Taylor & Young, with Second World War dates added later. Portland stone cross with a bronze sword.

Reasons for Designation

The war memorial in St Mary's Churchyard, erected in 1921 to the design of Isaac Taylor of Taylor & Young and based on the Sir Reginald Blomfield's Cross of Sacrifice, is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* Historic interest: it has strong cultural and historic significance within both a local and national context;

* Commemorative: it forms a poignant reminder of the effects of tragic world events on this local community;

* Group value: it has strong group value with the adjacent Grade I listed St Mary's Church in whose churchyard it sits, other listed structures within the churchyard as well as the neighbouring Grade II listed rectory, which was also designed by Taylor & Young.

History

The war memorial in St Mary's churchyard was erected in 1921 to the designs of the Manchester architect, Isaac Taylor of Taylor & Young. The memorial was constructed by Messrs Nuttall of Whitefield and the bronze sword was produced by Messrs Bainbridge Reynolds Ltd. It was unveiled on 10 April 1921 by Major Morgan, and dedicated by the Archdeacon of Manchester.

Details

First World War memorial, 1921, by Isaac Taylor of Taylor & Young, with Second World War dates added later. Portland stone cross with a bronze sword

The war memorial is located immediately to the south-west of the churchyard's Grade II listed entrance and to the north-east of the Grade I listed St Mary's Church. Its design is based upon Sir Reginald Blomfield's Cross of Sacrifice and consists of a stepped octagonal plinth surmounted by a tapering Portland-stone cross with a stepped base and a bronze sword affixed to the front (east) face. The war memorial's inscriptions are heavily weathered, but a carved band running around the top of the base with carved stylised lettering originally read 'In loving and thankful memory of the men of this Parish who died in the Great War'. An additional inscription on the east face in smaller lettering, which is now illegible, originally read 'The Souls of the Righteous are in the hands of God'. The base's west face displays the carved dates '1914-1919' and '1939-45' in stylised numerals.

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 10 August 2017.

Sources

Books and journals
Hartwell, C, Hyde, M, Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East, (2004, reprinted 2010 with corrections)
Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 10 August 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/141557
War Memorials Register, accessed 30 January 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/23001

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.