Long Lane War Memorial, Wilmslow Road, Heald Green, Greater Manchester

Summary

First World War memorial with later additions for the Second World War, date unknown. The stonemasons were Hilton of Manchester. Sandstone and brick.

Reasons for Designation

Long Lane War Memorial by the stonemasons Hilton of Manchester 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 17 local men who lost their lives fighting in the First World War, and subsequently the four men who died in the Second World War;
* Design: a well-executed memorial in the form of a rectangular, stepped obelisk flanked by low side walls bearing relief-carved wreaths encompassing the dates.

History

Long Lane War Memorial was built to commemorate 17 local men who died in the First World War. The stonemasons were Hilton of Manchester. It is not known when the memorial was unveiled. The men are named with their rank and regiment; one served in the Royal Navy (their biographies can found in an online document). The names of four men who died in the Second World War were later added (their biographies can be found in a second online document).

In 2000 the war memorial was re-dedicated after it was relocated further south along Wilmslow Road and on the opposite side of the road (the original location was on the west side of Wilmslow Road just north of the staggered crossroad with Finney Lane and Etchells Road).

Details

First World War memorial with later additions for the Second World War, date unknown. The stonemasons were Hilton of Manchester. Sandstone and brick.

PLAN: a rectangular, stepped obelisk flanked by low side walls.

DESCRIPTION: the obelisk comprises seven rectangular sandstone blocks. The two lowest blocks project slightly to form a stepped plinth. The blocks reduce slightly in width as they rise to a shorter top block with a moulded cap. The block immediately beneath also has a cyma recta moulding and the front face has a relief-carved wreath. The block below the wreath is inscribed ‘TO THE MEMORY / OF THE MEN / OF LONG LANE AND DISTRICT / WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR’. Two blocks are inscribed with the ranks, names and regiments of 16 men; the 17th name is inscribed at the top of the block forming part of the stepped plinth. Underneath this name the dates 1939 – 1945 are inscribed with the ranks, names and regiments of the four men who died in the Second World War. The lower block of the stepped plinth is inscribed 'HILTON / MANCHESTER'. The side elevations and rear of the obelisk are unadorned. Built against the side elevations are two low walls of brick with sandstone slabs to the top and outer edges. These walls each contain a relief-carved stone wreath, that to the left encompassing the date 1914, that to the right encompassing the date 1918.


Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 ('the Act') it is declared that the modern, rectangular enclosure with concrete kerbs and a low, metal railings is not of special architectural or historic interest.


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 07/11/2017

Sources

Websites
Biographies of men named on the memorial who died in First World War, accessed March 2016 from http://stcatherineshg.sharepoint.com/Documents/Long%20Memorial%20Booklet%20(V1).pdf
Biographies of men named on the memorial who died in the Second World War, accessed March 2016 from http://stcatherineshg.shrepoint.com/Documents/Long%20(WW2)%20-%20Booklet%20(V1).pdf
War Memorials Register, accessed March 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/15894
War Memorials Online, accessed 30 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/232973
Biographies of men named on the memorial who died in First World War, accessed 07/11/2017 from http://www.stcatherineshg.org.uk/about-us/long-lane-memorial/
Biographies of men named on the memorial who died in the Second World War, accessed 07/11/2017 from http://www.stcatherineshg.org.uk/about-us/long-lane-memorial/

End of official list entry

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