Shotley Low Quarter War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1922, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Shotley Low Quarter War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of St John’s Church, 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 memorial cross decorated with intricate carved interlace patterns in the Celtic style;
* Group value: with the Church of St John (Grade II-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. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also 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 Snods Edge for the parish of Shotley Low Quarter, 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, by W Ayton and Sons, was unveiled on 15 April 1922 by Dr Clifton Browne MP and dedicated by Dr Wild, Bishop of Newcastle. It commemorated eight local servicemen who died in the First World War. The costs were raised by public subscription whilst a gate in the churchyard wall, leading from the road to the memorial, was donated by Mr and Mrs Mackay. Following the Second World War the names of seven men who died in that conflict were added.

W Ayton and Sons were also responsible for other war memorials in the region including those at Greencroft, Burnopfield, and Stanley (Grade II-listed).

Details

The c4m tall granite memorial cross stands in the churchyard, c50m to the south-west of the Church of St John (Grade II-listed). It takes the form of a wheel-head cross. The cross head is decorated with a central hemispherical boss, and intricate interlace patterns carved in relief. The cross shaft stands on a three-stage base.

The principal dedicatory inscription recorded on the front face of the upper stage of the base reads IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/ THE HEROES OF THIS PARISH/ WHO NOBLY GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR GOD, KING AND COUNTRY./ IN THE GREAT WAR. 1914 – 1918. The eight commemorated First World War names are listed below that on the middle stage. The lower stage carries the quotation “GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN/ LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.” The dates 1939 – 1945 appear to either side of the upper stage, with the Second World War names listed below on the sides of the middle stage. All the inscriptions are in applied metal letters.

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, 23 November 2017.

Sources

Websites
North East War Memorials Project, accessed 22/09/2016 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=8837
War Memorials Register, accessed 24 February 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/10263
War Memorials Online, accessed 23 November 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/253777

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