Weaverham War Memorial

Summary

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

Reasons for Designation

Weaverham War Memorial, which stands outside the Church of St Mary, 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: an elegant memorial cross;
* Group value: with the Church of St Mary (Grade I-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.

Construction of the war memorial cross outside the Church of St Mary (Grade I-listed) was completed in early July 1921. It was unveiled on Sunday 24 July 1921 by Major-General Sir Cecil Lothian Nicholson KCB CMG, in the presence of a number of dignitaries including the Dean of Chester and Colonel Saner. The architect was Messrs Taylor and Young and the memorial was supplied by Messrs Wippell and Co Ltd at a cost of £217 10s 3d. The memorial commemorates 69 local servicemen who died in the First World War. Following the Second World War the names of 23 men who died in that conflict were added. Minor repairs have been carried out and the memorial was cleaned in 2014 to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War.

J Whippell and Co Ltd was a firm of Art Metal Founders active in London between 1900 and 1930. The company was responsible for a large number of war memorials, the great majority of which are plaques or tablets.

Details

The memorial stands in the grounds of the Church of St Mary (Grade I-listed), to the west of the south aisle and facing west. The tall grey Devonshire granite memorial takes the form of a foliated cross head rising from a heavily moulded collar on a tapering octagonal cross shaft. The cross shaft stands on a two-stage octagonal base, which is raised on a square step.

The dedication on the front faces of the upper stage of the base reads TO OUR SONS/ WHO IN THE GREAT WAR OF 1914 - 1918/ LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES. The 69 First World War names are recorded on the faces of the lower stage, organised by Service. The Second World War inscription 1939 – 1945/ (23 NAMES) is recorded on the front riser of the step. An additional inscription to the rear of the step reads GRANT, O LORD, ETERNAL REST/ UNTO THEM. Two granite flower vases stand on the step, to the front.

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, 26 January 2017.

Sources

Websites
University of Glasgow, Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, accessed 01/07/2016 from http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/organization.php?id=msib1_1246090076
St Mary's Church Weaverham, accessed 01/07/2016 from http://www.stmarysweaverham.org/index.php
War Memorials Register, accessed 26 January 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/10009
War Memorials Online, accessed 26 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/140677

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