Lathom and Burscough War Memorial

Garden of Remembrance, Liverpool Road North, Burscough, Lancashire, L40 7TD

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Overview

First World War memorial, unveiled on 20 August 1922, 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:: 1438967
Date first listed:: 17-Oct-2016
List Entry Name:: Lathom and Burscough War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Garden of Remembrance, Liverpool Road North, Burscough, Lancashire, L40 7TD

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1438967
Date first listed:: 17-Oct-2016
List Entry Name:: Lathom and Burscough War Memorial
Location Description:
Statutory Address 1:: Garden of Remembrance, Liverpool Road North, Burscough, Lancashire, L40 7TD

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:: Garden of Remembrance, Liverpool Road North, Burscough, Lancashire, L40 7TD

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

County:: Lancashire
District:: West Lancashire (District Authority)
Parish:: Burscough
National Grid Reference:: SD4421711800

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled on 20 August 1922, with further names added after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Lathom and Burscough 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 the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20; * Architectural interest: an ornate and striking memorial cross with carved Celtic-style decorative details and an elegant five-stepped inscribed base.

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 Burscough 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 1921 and dedicated on the 20 August 1922 at a ceremony attended by Edwin Baldwin, a local, decorated military officer and Henry Tyler, a local businessman.

The contract for the memorial was carried out by James Whittle, contractor, of Ormskirk. The granite steps and cross were supplied by Samuel Welsby, sculptor, of Liverpool and Widnes, and the architect in charge of the work was C Brighouse of Ormskirk.

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

The memorial was originally surrounded by a path which can be seen on the 1928 map but this design was modified after the Second World War and memorial gardens were laid out by 1955.

Details

MATERIALS: Cornish granite.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a 3m high wheel-head cross decorated with Celtic-style knotwork designs around a central boss. It is set upon a tapering, decorated oblong shaft similarly decorated with carved knotwork, which is set upon a tapering, rough-hewn plinth. This stands on an octagonal base of five steps – each inscribed (on the northern side) with an ascending year of the First World War. The total height of the memorial is approximately 5m.

The northern face of the plinth bears an incised painted lead letter inscription LATHOM AND BURSCOUGH / "IS IT NOTHING TO YOU, ALL YE THAT PASS BY." / THIS CROSS IS RAISED IN / GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF / OUR LOCAL MEN / WHO DIED IN DEFENCE OF / THEIR COUNTRY, HONOUR AND FREEDOM / DURING THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1919. / AND OF THE 2ND GREAT WAR 1939 – 1945. / "THEY NOTHING COMMON DID, OR MEAN / UPON THAT MEMORABLE SCENE."

All other faces of both the plinth and shaft list the names of local men killed in both World Wars.

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
Lathom and Burscough Military Heritage Society, accessed 1 March 2016 from http://lbmhs.co.uk/lathom-burscough
War Memorials Online, accessed 2 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/156738
War Memorials Register, accessed 21 July 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/3405

Legal

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