South Charlton War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

South Charlton War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of St James’ 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: a simple yet poignant memorial cross;
* Group value: with the Church of St James and the Gatepiers and Gates to the north of the church (all 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 South Charlton 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 unveiled on 8 May 1921 by Professor RC Bosanquet and dedicated by the vicar, Reverend WR Fairclough. It commemorated three local servicemen who died in the First World War. By T Watson and Sons of Alnwick, the memorial was funded by public subscription. Following the Second World War one name was added to the memorial, Sister Sarah Elizabeth Dixon, a nurse in the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service. She died on 24 January 1944 when Hospital Carrier St David was sunk by enemy action off Anzio (Italy).

The firm of Messrs Watson, monumental masons of Alnwick, was also responsible for war memorial crosses at Eglingham (Grade II-listed) and Rennington, and the war memorial tablets at Newton on the Moor and Ingram.

Details

The memorial stands in the churchyard of the Church of St James (Grade II). The sandstone wheel-head cross, c3.5m tall, rises from a tapering pedestal which stands on a single step. The principal dedicatory inscription to the front face of the pedestal reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN HONOURED MEMORY/ OF THE MEN FROM THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918./ (3 NAMES)/ “THEIR NAMES LIVE FOR EVERMORE.” The right-hand face of the pedestal is inscribed 1939 – 1945/ (1 NAME).


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, 27 February 2017.

Sources

Websites
North East War Memorials Project, accessed 22/09/2016 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=8855
QARANC Association, accessed 22/09/2016 from http://britisharmynurses.com/wiki/index.php?title=HMHS_St_David
War Memorials Register, accessed 27 February 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/33964
War Memorials Online, accessed 27 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/234763

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