Summary
War Memorial commemorating the First World War and Second World War. Inter-war, designer unknown. White granite, bronze plaques.
Reasons for Designation
Cheadle War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic Interest: as a poignant reminder of the tragic impact of world events upon an individual community, commemorating the men from Cheadle who lost their lives fighting in the First and Second World Wars, and also eight civilian air raid victims of the Second World War, underlining the real danger endured by all
* Group value: standing in a prominent location on the village green, the war memorial is located close to a number of listed buildings, including Haw Bank House opposite, the nearby George and Dragon Hotel, Manor House, Newlands House, and also a memorial fountain to Robert Ockleston, a former local GP.
History
The war memorial was erected to commemorate the 101 men from Cheadle who died fighting in the First World War. Subsequently the names of 54 Second World War casualties were added to the memorial. In addition the names of eight air raid victims were listed. There were two air raid hits in Cheadle. The first raid was on 24th December 1940, when a 1,000lb bomb from a German bomber thought to be targeting a factory manufacturing aircraft wings instead landed directly on a house in Bulkeley Road, Cheadle. The second raid was on 4th February 1941 when a lone bomber hit a house on Stockport Road, killing a mother and daughter and injuring a fire warden who died the following day.
Details
War Memorial commemorating the First World War and Second World War. Inter-war, designer unknown. White granite, bronze plaques.
PLAN: obelisk on square pedestal with chamfered plinth.
DESCRIPTION: the war memorial is constructed of rough-hewn, rock-faced white granite. A simple, roughly square obelisk stands on a large, squared pedestal with tapering sides and a chamfered top. The pedestal stands on a deeply chamfered plinth. Set in the front face of the pedestal is a bronze plaque with a Greek key border, with a relief lettering inscription reading TO THE GLORY OF GOD / AND IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE / OF THE MEN OF THIS VILLAGE / WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914-1919 above a relief laurel wreath with the name CHEADLE in the centre. Below is psalm 102, v.18 ‘THIS SHALL BE WRITTEN FOR THOSE THAT COME AFTER AND THE / PEOPLE WHICH SHALL BE BORN SHALL PRAISE THE LORD’. The left-hand and right-hand faces of the pedestal each have a large, inset, rectangular bronze plaque with Greek key border containing the names of the men who died in the First World War in raised lettering. The rear face has a similar bronze plaque with Greek key border recording those who died in the Second World War. At the bottom of the plaque are eight names beneath the title AIR RAID VICTIMS. Encircling the war memorial is a low, square fence with rough-hewn, squared granite posts at each corner and lower central posts linked by chains.
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, 30 January 2017.
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 06/12/2017
