Audley War Memorial

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Overview

A First World War memorial, executed by Messrs W & J Mellor and dedicated in 1923, with Second World War additions. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1421464
Date first listed:: 28-Aug-2014
List Entry Name:: Audley War Memorial

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1421464
Date first listed:: 28-Aug-2014
List Entry Name:: Audley War Memorial
Location Description:: The war memorial stands on the west side of Church Street, at the junction with Wilbraham's Walk.

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

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

County:: Staffordshire
District:: Newcastle-under-Lyme (District Authority)
Parish:: Audley Rural
National Grid Reference:: SJ7985950896

Summary

A First World War memorial, executed by Messrs W & J Mellor and dedicated in 1923, with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Audley war memorial, executed by Messrs W & J Mellor and dedicated in 1923, with Second World War additions, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of a world events on this community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20; * Design: as an accomplished and well-realised war memorial which takes the form of a granite obelisk; * Group value: it has a strong group value with the Church of St James (Grade II*) and St James's Church Hall (Grade II), and makes a significant contribution to the character and appearance of the Audley Conservation Area.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. One such memorial was erected in 1923 at Audley to commemorate the 121 men of the parish who died during the conflict. It was executed by the sculptors Messrs W & J Mellor and was built in the grounds of the then vicarage to the Church of St James; the vicarage is now a residential care home known as Wilbraham House. Following the Second World War a second dedicatory inscription was added to commemorate the 28 local men who died during this conflict.

Details

A First World War memorial, executed by Messrs W & J Mellor and dedicated in 1923, with Second World War additions.

MATERIALS: of granite.

PLAN: it is octagonal on plan.

DETAILS: the memorial faces north-east and takes the form of a plain obelisk standing upon an octagonal base of four steps. The base supports a square plinth which is inscribed on its north-east face: '1939 - 1945', along with the names of the 28 men who died during the Second World War. Standing on the plinth is a tall pedestal which tapers from a chamfered base to a simple cornice which is inscribed on its north-east face: ‘1914 THE GREAT WAR 1918’. The north-east, north-west and south-west faces of the pedestal are inscribed with the names of the 121 men of the parish who died during this conflict. Rising from the pedestal is a tall shaft which tapers in square section to a moulded capstone with a palmette finial. The shaft is ornamented on its north-east face with the sheathed sword of peace and the laurel wreath of victory, below which is the inscription: TO / OUR / GLORIOUS / DEAD’.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the late-C20 metal railings and stone rubble walling which form the oval-shaped enclosure within which the war memorial stands are not of special architectural or historic interest and are therefore excluded from the listing.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 19 January 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 19 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/194194
War Memorials Register, accessed 19 January 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/13530

Legal

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

The listed building(s) is/are shown coloured blue on the attached map. Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’), structures attached to or within the curtilage of the listed building (save those coloured blue on the map) are not to be treated as part of the listed building for the purposes of the Act.