Bishop Middleham War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Bishop Middleham War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Michael and All Angels, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: a dignified wheel-head cross;
* Group value: with the Church of St Michael and All Angels (Grade II*), numerous churchyard monuments listed at Grade II and with The Hall (Grade II).

History

Bishop Middleham War Memorial was unveiled on 9 October 1921 by Lt-Col Tomlinson of Seaton Carew. It was dedicated by Archdeacon Derry, commemorating 21 local servicemen who had died during the First World War. The memorial had been arranged by a committee made up of disabled ex-servicemen. It cost £245, raised by public subscription, and was provided by Ainsley and Collins of West Hartlepool (a firm composed entirely of disabled ex-servicemen). Following the Second World War a tablet was added recording the details of seven men and one woman who died during that conflict. This was dedicated on 6 November 1949.

The memorial was refurbished in 2014 at a cost of c £9,000, funded by the Parish Council with contributions from the Heritage Lottery Fund, War Memorials Trust and Durham Council. It was moved slightly away from the churchyard wall and reset at this time. The rededication service on 10 July 2014 was led by the Bishop of Jarrow.

Details

The memorial stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Michael and All Angels (Grade II*-listed), to the north of the church and overlooking Church Street. It comprises a dark polished granite wheel-head cross, rising from a tapering, square, plinth with a granite base. The memorial is set on a two-stepped sandstone base.

The principal dedicatory inscription is inscribed into the north face of the plinth, reading TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF/ BISHOP MIDDLEHAM/ AND MAINSFORTH/ WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918. Below on the base is carved “GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS,/ THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.” The First World War names are inscribed on the remaining faces of the plinth. The Second World War sandstone tablet, in the form of a book, lies on the south side of the cross, set into the stepped base. It is inscribed ALSO THE FOLLOWING WHO DIED ON ACTIVE/ SERVICE DURING THE WORLD WAR/ 1939 1945 (8 NAMES).

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 - Bishop Middleham Cross, accessed 17/02/2016 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=6428
North East War Memorials Project - Bishop Middleham Tablet, accessed 17/02/2016 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=6429
War Memorials Register, accessed 7 February 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/10301
War Memorials Online, accessed 7 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/192659

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