West Rainton War Memorial
Church of St Mary, North Street, West Rainton, County Durham, DH4 6PA
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1430947
- Date first listed:
- 23-Nov-2015
- List Entry Name:
- West Rainton War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Church of St Mary, North Street, West Rainton, County Durham, DH4 6PA
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1430947
- Date first listed:
- 23-Nov-2015
- List Entry Name:
- West Rainton War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Church of St Mary, North Street, West Rainton, County Durham, DH4 6PA
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Church of St Mary, North Street, West Rainton, County Durham, DH4 6PA
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- County Durham (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- West Rainton and Leamside
- National Grid Reference:
- NZ3226746921
Summary
First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
West Rainton War Memorial, situated on North Street, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic Interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural Interest: a substantial and imposing monolith;
* Group Value: with the Grade II*-listed Church of St Mary.
History
West Rainton War Memorial was unveiled on 13 November 1921 by the Reverend Duncan, Rector of Willington and an ex-Army chaplain. It commemorates the local servicemen who died during the First World War, and a dedication and further names were added following the Second World War to commemorate those who fell during that conflict. Two steps and the memorial base were renewed in 1999 by West Rainton and Leamside Parish Council.
Details
The memorial stands on North Street, on the northern edge of the churchyard of the church of St Mary (Grade II*). It comprises a large rough-hewn granite monolith set on a large plinth. The front face of the monolith is carved in the form of a scroll, the polished surface carrying the inscription IN MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919./ (60 NAMES)/ 1939-1945/ (12 NAMES)/ GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN.
The memorial stands above a rendered, coped, retaining wall and is approached from street level by a rake of seven sandstone steps.
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, 7 February 2017.
Sources
Websites
North East War Memorials Project, West Rainton, accessed 20/10/2015 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=9170
War Memorials Register, accessed 7 February 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/10249
War Memorials Online, accessed 7 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/142072
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 26-Jun-2026 at 04:52:39.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.