Sacriston War Memorial

Summary

War memorial, unveiled 1981.

Reasons for Designation

Sacriston War Memorial, which stands on Front Street, 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 local community, and the sacrifice it has made in all conflicts;
* Architectural interest: a simple, austere, yet poignant memorial cross.

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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

A number of First World War memorials were raised at Sacriston as testaments to the sacrifice made by members of the local community who lost their lives in the conflict. These included Sacriston Memorial Institute (1923), which housed memorial plaques recording the names of 814 men who had served in the conflict, of whom 118 had died. The Institute burnt down in the early 1960s and the foundation stones and memorial plaques were incorporated in the replacement hall of 1964. That building was demolished and in 2009 the foundation stones were re-used as seats outside the Fulforth Community Centre on Front Street.

Although some of the contemporary memorials, such as the memorial font in Sacriston Methodist Church, are still extant, in 1981 a cross was erected in a memorial garden adjacent to the Community Hall. The monument was commissioned by the local Branch of the Royal British Legion, and enabled the commemoration of casualties of both the First and Second World Wars and of other conflicts, ‘It is meant as a timeless memorial to all the villagers who gave their lives in past conflicts, and will service to honour those who may be killed in any present or future conflict.’

When in 2010 this garden was built over in a re-development project, the cross was moved a short distance to its present position on the site of the former Memorial Institute, outside the Fulforth Community Centre. It was re-dedicated on 8 October 2010 by Canon Caroline Black.

Details

The memorial stands outside Fulforth Community Centre on Front Street. The Italian marble monument, c2m tall, takes the form of a plain Latin cross standing on a four-stage base, square on plan. The dedicatory inscription is recorded on the front faces of the three uppermost stages:

(upper stage) IN/ MEMORY OF

(second stage) THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE SERVICE/ OF THEIR COUNTRY/ SO THAT WE SHALL LIVE

(third stage) THEY SHALL GROW NOT OLD/ AS WE THAT ARE LEFT GROW OLD/ WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

The third stage takes the form of a tall, tapering pedestal (greater in size than the original stage) that houses a poem written for the 2010 re-dedication ceremony. The lowest stage, a shallow step, supports low corner posts carrying an enclosing rail.


This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Register. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 27 February 2017.

Sources

Websites
North East War Memorials Project, accessed 23/09/2016 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=8520
North East War Memorials Project, accessed 23/09/2016 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=8519
Durham At War, accessed 23/09/2016 from http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/story/3167/
War Memorials Register, accessed 27 February 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/42054

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