Farndon War Memorial

Churchyard of St Chad's Church, Church Lane, Farndon, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 6QD

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Overview

First World War memorial unveiled on 2 November 1919 with further additions for the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1438604
Date first listed:: 06-Oct-2016
List Entry Name:: Farndon War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Churchyard of St Chad's Church, Church Lane, Farndon, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 6QD

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1438604
Date first listed:: 06-Oct-2016
List Entry Name:: Farndon War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Churchyard of St Chad's Church, Church Lane, Farndon, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 6QD

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:: Churchyard of St Chad's Church, Church Lane, Farndon, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 6QD

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

District:: Cheshire West and Chester (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Farndon
National Grid Reference:: SJ4132554499

Summary

First World War memorial unveiled on 2 November 1919 with further additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Farndon War Memorial, unveiled on 2 November 1919, 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 elegant wheel-head cross enriched with carved interlacing knot work; * Group value: with the Church of St Chad (Grade II*) and table tombs in the churchyard (Grade II).

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 at Farndon as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

£2,000 was raised by public subscription to fund the memorial cross and a commemorative public hall, £1,300 of which had been promised within eight weeks of the initial public meeting, held on 31 January 1919. The memorial was unveiled on 2 November 1919 by Major Barnston MP and dedicated by the Rev Alfred Bailey. It was reported that ‘every seat in the church was full and the great congregation followed a simple service with devout attention'. Whilst the sculptor of the memorial is at present unknown, the design of Farndon War Memorial is almost identical to that of the Bickerton memorial, executed by Haswell and Sons of Kaleyards, Chester.

Following the Second World War, the names of five men who served in that conflict were added to the south facing side of the plinth, with the inscription 1939 + 1945 added to the second step directly beneath. Messrs Clegg of Chester carried out the later work, quoting £4 for the cutting of the inscription, and £4 10s 0d for the washing of the memorial in June 1947.

Details

MATERIALS: limestone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a circa 5m tall Celtic-style wheel-head cross with interlace detailing in relief, which is set upon a tapering chamfered shaft. The shaft stands upon a rectangular plinth with a chamfered base on the east facing side of which the names of 18 men who served in the First World War are incised into the stone.

The plinth is set upon a three-stepped rectangular base.

The inscription is centrally inscribed on the riser of the top step and reads IN PERPETUAL MEMORY OF THESE / MEN WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY. Inscribed upon the second step below this is the date, separated by a cross, 1914 + 1919.

The names of five men who served in the Second World War were later added to the south facing side of the plinth, with the inscription 1939 + 1945 added to the riser of the second step directly beneath.

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
War Memorials Online, accessed 26 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/147449
War Memorials Register, accessed 18 May 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/9866
Other
Cheshire Observer, 22 March 1919
Malpas Deanery Magazine, No. 12, Vol 24, December 1919
Minutes of parochial church council and annual parochial church meeting, April 1935 – April 1951

Legal

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