Church of St Gabriel War Memorial, St Gabriel's Church, Middleton Junction
The Church of St Gabriel War Memorial, St Gabriel's Church, Greenhill Road, Middleton Junction, Middleton, M24 2BD
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1441153
- Date first listed:
- 02-Feb-2017
- List Entry Name:
- Church of St Gabriel War Memorial, St Gabriel's Church, Middleton Junction
- Statutory Address:
- The Church of St Gabriel War Memorial, St Gabriel's Church, Greenhill Road, Middleton Junction, Middleton, M24 2BD
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1441153
- Date first listed:
- 02-Feb-2017
- List Entry Name:
- Church of St Gabriel War Memorial, St Gabriel's Church, Middleton Junction
- Statutory Address 1:
- The Church of St Gabriel War Memorial, St Gabriel's Church, Greenhill Road, Middleton Junction, Middleton, M24 2BD
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- The Church of St Gabriel War Memorial, St Gabriel's Church, Greenhill Road, Middleton Junction, Middleton, M24 2BD
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Rochdale (Metropolitan Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SD8854005295
Summary
War memorial, dedicated 1921 and re-dedicated 1947.
Reasons for Designation
This war memorial of 1921 is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on the Parish of St Gabriel’s, Middleton and the sacrifices it made during both World Wars;
* Architectural interest: a well-executed design in good quality materials in the form of a Celtic cross.
History
The war memorial was created to commemorate the men of the Parish of St Gabriel’s who fell during the First World War. It was built by Messrs F Taylor and Sons (Builder) at a cost of £185, and it was unveiled and dedicated 26 February 1921, in the presence of Lt Colonel R L Lees DSO, OBE, VD, TD, Sixth Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers. Following the Second World War it was re-dedicated on 9 November 1947 to include the fallen of that conflict.
Details
War memorial, dedicated 1921 and re-dedicated 1947.
The war memorial is situated within the churchyard, immediately outside of the W window of the Church of St Gabriel. It comprises a rectangular stone column raised on a pedestal and plinth, surmounted by a stylised Celtic cross with a recessed panel containing a broadsword carved in relief pointing downwards, with a Laurel wreath enclosing the hilt that has a small Lancashire rose at its centre. The base of the cross is supported by a scroll bracket to either side, with the date 1914 above a festoon on the front panel. The front of the pedestal is divided into three recessed panels; the central panel is twice the width of the outer pair and it has a dedication that reads: ERECTED / IN HONOURED MEMORY / OF / THE BRAVE MEN FROM / S.GABRIEL’S PARISH / WHO SACRIFICED / THEIR LIVES / IN THE GREAT WARS / + / “THEIR NAMES LIVETH / FOR EVERMORE.”. The flanking panels are carved 1939 / 1945 and record the names of 14 individuals killed during the Second World War. The 131 Fallen of the First World War are recorded on the side panels of the pedestal, and on the plinth. The remaining 26 names of the Fallen from the Second World War are recorded in two panels on the plinth; the front panel on the top step is also carved 1939 /1945. All names are recorded by initial and surname, with the exception of one woman – Martha Scott.
This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 23 November 2017.
Sources
Websites
Manchester and Lancashire Family History Society, Middleton Junction, St. Gabriel's Church, WWI and WW2, accessed 04 November 2016 from www.mlfhs.org.uk/data/war_memorials_images.php?memorial=245
War Memorials Register, accessed 4 November 2016 from www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/44997
War Memorials Online, accessed 23 November 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/253749
Other
The London Gazette, 23 December 1924, page 9336
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
The listed building is shown coloured blue on the attached map. Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’), structures attached to or within the curtilage of the listed building (save those coloured blue on the map) are not to be treated as part of the listed building for the purposes of the Act.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 30-Jun-2026 at 16:58:35.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.