Eshe Laude War Memorial

St Michael's Church, Laude Bank, Eshe Laude, Eshe, Durham, DH7 9QN

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

First World War memorial, with later additions for the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1436932
Date first listed:: 05-Aug-2016
List Entry Name:: Eshe Laude War Memorial
Statutory Address:: St Michael's Church, Laude Bank, Eshe Laude, Eshe, Durham, DH7 9QN

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1436932
Date first listed:: 05-Aug-2016
List Entry Name:: Eshe Laude War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: St Michael's Church, Laude Bank, Eshe Laude, Eshe, Durham, DH7 9QN

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: St Michael's Church, Laude Bank, Eshe Laude, Eshe, Durham, DH7 9QN

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: County Durham (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Esh
National Grid Reference:: NZ1899643720

Summary

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

Reasons for Designation

Eshe Laude War Memorial, which stands outside the Church of St Michael, 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 tall and imposing Calvary Cross; * Group value: with the Church of St Michael and Stables, Loft and Carriage shed to Church of St Michael (both Grade II-listed).

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and the official policy of not repatriating the dead, which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised outside the Roman Catholic Church of St Michael as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 20 members of the local community, who lost their lives in the First World War. The names of two men who died in the Second World War were added after that conflict. The Calvary was leaning to one side but this was corrected by remedial works in 2013.

Details

The memorial stands in the grassy court in front of the Church of St Michael (Grade II-listed) with, to the side, the Stables, Loft and Carriage shed to Church of St Michael (also Grade II). The memorial takes the form of a tall wooden Calvary with a hood, rising from a stone cairn representing the rocky hill. The figure of Christ crucified is to the front, facing the road to Eshe village. The cairn stands on a stone step.

A granite plaque inset into the front of the cairn records the principal dedicatory inscription CRUCIFIED JESUS/ HAVE MERCY ON THE SOULS/ OF (20 NAMES)/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919. Below on the front face of the stepped base a small plaque reads 1939 – 1945/ (2 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, accessed 20/06/2016 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=9452
War Memorials Online, accessed 7 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/162591
War Memorials Register, accessed 7 February 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/41996

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.