Brinsworth and Canklow War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial by Tyas and Guest, unveiled on 1 July 1923, with further names added after the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Brinsworth and Canklow 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 Latin cross with carved decorative details.

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.

In early 1919 the two communities of Brinsworth and Canklow joined together to raise funds for a war memorial. It cost £150 and was made by Tyas and Guest of Swinton. The firm of Messrs Tyas and Guest were responsible for a number of war memorials, including the Grade II-listed monuments at Stainforth and Coronation Park, Conisburgh, both of which feature similar statues of soldiers raised on tall, square, columns. On 1 July 1923, chosen to coincide with the commemorations for the Battle of the Somme, a ceremony took place to unveil and dedicate the memorial. The memorial was unveiled by T W Grundy MP for Rother Valley and the dedication was performed by the Bishop of Sheffield.

The memorial commemorates 76 local servicemen, 55 of whom fell during the First World War with the rest added following the end of the Second World War.

In 2006 the memorial was re-lettered with the help of grant aid from the War Memorials Trust.

Details

Brinsworth and Canklow War Memorial is located within the churchyard of St George’s Church and it consists of a stone Latin cross rising from a square shaft. The head of the cross is carved with knotwork detailing. The moulded base of the shaft has a scroll detail on either side. The memorial stands upon a rectangular plinth on a two-stepped base.

The shaft of the cross is inscribed “LEST/ WE/ FORGET”. The front and rear are inscribed with the names of the fallen, and to either side of the names on the front face is ornately carved 1914 and 1918.

Two plaques have been added at a later date. The first is fixed to the front face of the top step and reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN EVER GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF BRINSWORTH & CANKLOW WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ “THEY DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE”.

Below this is an angled plaque with the names of the fallen from the Second World War. The plaque is inscribed 1939 and 1945 in the same style as that of the First World War.

The memorial is on a raised platform and is surrounded by posts and a chain link fence.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Trust, accessed 21 August 2016 from www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=33
War Memorials Online, accessed 21 August 2016 from www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/72636
War Memorials Register, accessed 21 August 2016 from www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/52815

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

Print the official list entry