Great Altcar War Memorial

Churchyard of the Church of St Michael and All Angels, Lord Sefton Way, Great Altcar, Lancashire, L37 5AG

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Overview

First World War memorial with further names added after the Second World War. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1438865
Date first listed:: 17-Oct-2016
List Entry Name:: Great Altcar War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Churchyard of the Church of St Michael and All Angels, Lord Sefton Way, Great Altcar, Lancashire, L37 5AG

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1438865
Date first listed:: 17-Oct-2016
List Entry Name:: Great Altcar War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Churchyard of the Church of St Michael and All Angels, Lord Sefton Way, Great Altcar, Lancashire, L37 5AG

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 the Church of St Michael and All Angels, Lord Sefton Way, Great Altcar, Lancashire, L37 5AG

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

County:: Lancashire
District:: West Lancashire (District Authority)
Parish:: Great Altcar
National Grid Reference:: SD3198206519

Summary

First World War memorial with further names added after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Great Altcar War Memorial 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 community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20; * Architectural interest: an ornate and striking wheel-head cross with carved decorative details; * Group value: with St Michael and All Angels Church (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 Great Altcar as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial was erected in 1920 by the villagers of Great Altcar through public subscription.

Following the Second World War, the names of those who lost their lives in that war were also added.

Details

MATERIALS: sandstone.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a c 3.6m high wheel-head cross. It is decorated with a carved fleur de lis cross in relief intertwined with the ‘IHS’ Christogram at the centre point of the cross. Decorative ropework edging is carved around the wheel.

The cross is set upon an oblong tapering shaft on an oblong tapered plinth with a projecting cornice. The southern and northern faces of the plinth feature a wreath carved in relief.

The inscription is carved on indented panels on the southern face of the plinth and reads: THIS CROSS WAS ERECTED BY THE / PEOPLE OF ALTCAR TO THE HONOUR / OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO / FOUGHT FOR GOD & KING, FREEDOM, / RIGHT & PEACE. AND IN GRATEFUL / MEMORY OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR / LIVES FOR US IN THE GREAT WAR, / 1914-1918, AND WHOSE NAMES ARE / HEREON INSCRIBED.

The eastern face of the plinth is inscribed with the names of those who fell in the First World War and the western face with the names of those who fell in the Second World War.

The plinth stands on a base of two steps which also bears an inscription on the eastern face, under the First World War names on the plinth, which reads : "SEE YE TO IT THAT THESE MEN / SHALL NOT HAVE FOUGHT IN VAIN".

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, 2 February 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Online, accessed 2 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/173523
War Memorials Register, accessed 1 March 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/18680

Legal

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