Summary
First World War memorial by Beall of Newcastle, unveiled 1921.
Reasons for Designation
The war memorial outside St Anthony’s Church, Walker, 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 First World War;
* Architectural interest: a tall memorial cross sculpted by Beall of Newcastle;
* Degree of survival: unusually, the memorial has not been adapted for Second World War commemoration and thus retains its original design intent.
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 outside St Anthony’s Church on Belmont Street, Walker, 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 19 July 1921 by Major JG Leathart MC and dedicated by the vicar, Reverend HA Hand. It commemorates 24 local servicemen who died in the First World War, and a further 51 who served and returned. The memorial cross was funded through public subscription, whilst the plot was donated by Lord Northbourne. The memorial was sculpted by Robert Beall of Newcastle who was responsible for a number of other war memorials in the region, including those at Haltwhistle, Corbridge, and Fatfield (all Grade II). A time capsule including coins, the names of the War Memorial Committee members, and copies of local newspapers, was enclosed under the memorial steps.
Details
The tall granite memorial stands outside the west end of St Anthony’s Church (not listed), on Belmont Street, Walker. It takes the form of a small cross with a moulded foot rising from the cornice of a shaft, square in section. The shaft stands on a corniced octagonal plinth, which stands on a three-stepped base. The shaft’s cornice is ornamented with a carved frieze of foliage, whilst a small shield is carved in relief at the top of each side of the shaft. The plinth’s cornice is also carved with foliage.
The dedicatory inscription carved into the front face of the plinth reads REMEMBER WITH HONOUR/ THOSE WHO BY THEIR DEATH/ HAVE ENNOBLED/ THIS VILLAGE IN/ THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-18. The commemorated names are recorded on the remaining faces of the plinth.
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, 23 November 2017.
