Stillington War Memorial

Summary

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

Reasons for Designation

Stillington War Memorial, which stands to the south of Messines Lane, 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 tall memorial cross drawing on Christian iconography and incorporating Gothic decorative elements.

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 Stillington as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Stillington village served the Carlton Iron Works, founded in 1866. The war memorial, unveiled on 13 May 1922 by Colonel Tomlinson, Managing Director of the Carlton Iron Co Ltd, commemorates not only the 36 local servicemen who died in the First World War but also the 113 who served and returned. It was dedicated by Bishop Welldon, Dean of Durham. The memorial cost c£250, raised by public subscription. Following the Second World War the names of seven men who died in that conflict were added.

Details

The memorial stands in a small garden, formerly landscaped, to the south side of Messines Lane. It takes the form of a Latin cross, octagonal in section, that rises from a moulded collar on an octagonal shaft. The cross shaft stands on the cap of a pedestal, square on plan. The pedestal is mounted on a two-stepped base.

The principal dedicatory inscription to the front face of the pedestal reads 1914 – 1918 (carved in relief) followed by ERECTED/ TO/ THE GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN/ THE GREAT WAR/ MAKE THEM TO BE NUMBERED WITH THY SAINTS / IN GLORY EVERLASTING. (incised lettering). The commemorated First World War names are listed on two faces of the pedestal whilst the fourth face is inscribed AND/ TO COMMEMORATE/ THE/ RETURN/ OF/ 113 MEN.

Below that, the chamfered tread of the pedestal’s base is inscribed AND/ IN MEMORY OF THE MEN/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR with 1939 and 1945 carved in low relief on the riser either side of the commemorated Second World War names.


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 18/10/2016 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=8673
Stillington War Memorial, accessed 18/10/2016 from http://www.stillington-whitton.com/war-memorial---new-page-2014.php
War Memorials Register, accessed 27 February 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/9813
War Memorials Online, accessed 27 February 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/218696

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