Cleadon War Memorial
Front Street, Cleadon, Tyne and Wear, SR6 7PG
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1436752
- Date first listed:
- 19-Aug-2016
- List Entry Name:
- Cleadon War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Front Street, Cleadon, Tyne and Wear, SR6 7PG
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1436752
- Date first listed:
- 19-Aug-2016
- List Entry Name:
- Cleadon War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Front Street, Cleadon, Tyne and Wear, SR6 7PG
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:
- Front Street, Cleadon, Tyne and Wear, SR6 7PG
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- South Tyneside (Metropolitan Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- NZ3844462367
Summary
First World War memorial, 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.
Reasons for Designation
Cleadon War Memorial, which stands on Front 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: an imposing memorial built in a local stone;
* Group value: with Cleadon Tower (Grade II-listed).
History
Cleadon War Memorial was unveiled on 13 November 1920 by Lt-Col G Pollard and dedicated by the vicar, Reverend RP Moorsom. It cost £300, raised by public subscription, and was sculpted by Thomas Curry of South Shields. It commemorates 14 local servicemen who died in the First World War and marks the service of a further 107 who returned. Following the Second World War the details of 32 men who fell in that conflict were added with an adaption to the front of the memorial by E Smyth of Sunderland.
In 1997 an additional dedication commemorating men and women who served in both the First and Second World Wars, and who as children had been residents of Cleadon Cottage Homes, was also raised at the foot of the memorial: this was carved by Karl Fisher of Sunderland. Cleadon Cottage Homes were a row of houses off Sunniside Lane, built in 1909. Each house provided accommodation for up to 20 children, cared for by a house-mother or -father. A further building for staff and administration was provided. The boys and girls received education and vocational training. The Homes closed in 1962.
Details
MATERIALS: Heworth stone, Welsh slate, metal plaques.
DESCRIPTION: The war memorial stands in a garden on Front Street, in front of Cleadon Tower (Grade II-listed). It takes the form of a large rough-hewn Heworth stone boulder raised on a rocky cairn. At the top of the front face of the boulder a wreath is carved in low relief, below which a plaque of South Welsh slate with a carved border of oak leaves bears the principal dedicatory inscription. This reads IN HONOURED MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF CLEADON WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914 – 1919/ (14 NAMES)/ ALSO IN TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO SERVED/ (107 NAMES).
The rocky cairn was originally round on plan, encircling and supporting the boulder. The front quadrant of the cairn was cut away to let in the Second World War component of the memorial. That comprises a stone altar, rectangular on plan, with a sword carved in low relief on the upper surface of the altar table. The front of the altar bears a South Welsh slate plaque recording the later inscription LET US ALSO REMEMBER/ THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE WAR/ 1939 – 1945/ (32 NAMES).
A stone block, the top of which is shaped in the form of an open book with metal plaques fixed to the two open pages, stands at the foot of the altar. The plaque to the left reads IN MEMORY OF/ THOSE YOUNG/ MEN AND WOMEN/ FROM CLEADON/ COTTAGE HOMES/ WHO SERVED/ DURING THE/ WORLD WARS/ 1914-1919/ 1939-1945. The plaque to the right reads THEY THAT PUT/ ASIDE TODAY/ ALL THE JOYS/ OF THEIR TODAY/ AND WITH TOIL/ OF THEIR TODAY/ BOUGHT FOR US/ TOMORROW/ RUDYARD KIPLING.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: The garden is enclosed by a chain supported on low posts. A flagpole stands to the rear of the memorial. These features are not of special interest.
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, accessed 14/06/2016 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=6864
North East War Memorials Project, accessed 14/06/2016 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=6868
North East War Memorials Project, accessed 14/06/2016 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=6869
The Workhouse (South Shields, Durham), accessed 14/06/2016 from http://www.workhouses.org.uk/SouthShields/
War Memorials Register, accessed 7 February 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/17863
War Memorials Online, accessed 7 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/154585
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 27-Jun-2026 at 02:49:55.
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.