Scremerston War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Scremerston War Memorial, which stands at the roadside c140m to the south of the parish 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 this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: a richly ornamented cross in the Celtic style, decorated with carved interlace.

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. One such memorial was raised at Scremerston 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 1920 by Lord Joicey, in commemoration of 14 local servicemen who died during the First World War. The memorial cross was funded by public subscription whilst the plot of land was donated by the Lords of the Admiralty. Following the Second World War a tablet recording the names of five men who died in that conflict was added: that was unveiled on 6 November 1949 by Captain JE Carr and dedicated by the vicar, Reverend RN Batterbury. The original railings to the front of the memorial enclosure have been replaced.

Details

First World War memorial, unveiled 1920, with Second World War tablet.

The Aberdeen granite memorial cross, c5m tall, stands at the roadside c140m to the south of the Grade II-listed Church of St Peter. The wheel-head cross is richly ornamented with carved interlace patterns and a hemispherical boss at the centre. The commemorated First World War names are listed on the lower half of the cross shaft. The cross shaft rises from a tapering plinth. The plinth stands on a low step.

The principal dedicatory inscription to the front face of the plinth reads TO/ THE REVERED MEMORY/ OF/ THE MEN OF SCREMERSTON,/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR./ 1914 – 1918./ A LAST TRIBUTE OF PRIDE AND SORROW./ "THEY DIED AS MEN WERE CALLED UPON TO DIE/ FIGHTING FOR GOD AND RIGHT AND LIBERTY./ AND SUCH A DEATH IS IMMORTALITY.

The later tablet, placed at the foot of the cross and inclined, reads IN/ GRATEFUL & HONOURED MEMORY/ OF THE/ MEN OF SCREMERSTON/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE/ WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945./ (NAMES)/ "THEY DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE".

Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 ('the Act') it is declared that the timber fence and iron railings enclosing the war memorial, and the concrete paving slabs within the enclosure, are not of special architectural or historic interest.


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, 28 July 2017.

Sources

Websites
North East War Memorials Project, accessed 26/09/2016 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=8545
North East War Memorials Project, accessed 26/09/2016 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=8546
War Memorials Register, accessed 27 February 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/33520
War Memorials Online, accessed 28 July 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/252679

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