War Memorial to the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers

Walker Park, Scrogg Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 3HR

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Overview

First World War memorial designed by Messrs Graham and Hill of Newcastle, unveiled 1921, restored and re-dedicated 2016. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1441600
Date first listed:: 10-Feb-2017
List Entry Name:: War Memorial to the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers
Statutory Address:: Walker Park, Scrogg Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 3HR

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1441600
Date first listed:: 10-Feb-2017
List Entry Name:: War Memorial to the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers
Statutory Address 1:: Walker Park, Scrogg Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 3HR

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Walker Park, Scrogg Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 3HR

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Newcastle upon Tyne (Metropolitan Authority)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: NZ2899964181

Summary

First World War memorial designed by Messrs Graham and Hill of Newcastle, unveiled 1921, restored and re-dedicated 2016.

Reasons for Designation

The war memorial to the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers, which stands in Walker Park, 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: an imposing memorial in the Classical style.

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 Walker as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the 5th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, who lost their lives in the First World War.

The infantry regiment of Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was first raised as the 5th Regiment of Foot in 1674. During the First World War the regiment raised 52 battalions, making it the second largest after the London Regiment. The 5th Battalion was one of the regiment’s Territorial units, raised in August 1914 in Walker. Following training in Hexham the battalion was deployed to France in 1915, serving on the Somme, at Arras, Ypres, and in a number of actions in 1918. It was disbanded on 10 November 1918: some 1,050 men and officers of the battalion had died in France.

The memorial to the 5th Battalion was unveiled on 24 May 1921 by Colonel EPA Riddell CMG DSO and dedicated by the vicar of Longhurst, Reverend AS Wardroper. It was designed by Messrs Graham and Hill of Newcastle and built by Mr George Carr. The plot in Walker Park was given by Newcastle Corporation. The memorial originally included bronze plaques which were stolen and have been replaced in stone. Following restoration, the memorial was unveiled on 30 July 2016 by Lieutenant RV Brims CB CBE DSO.

Details

The memorial stands at the centre of Walker Park. It takes the form of a tapering pylon, c5m tall and rectangular on plan, in coursed freestone. The top of the pylon is ornamented with a moulded band. The pylon’s stepped plinth stands on a three-stepped base. The front face of the plinth projects forward, forming a panel on which is inscribed DULCE ET DECORUM/ EST/ PRO PATRIA MORI.

A dark stone plaque to the front of the pylon, replacing the original bronze panel, reads THE FIFTH BATTALION/ NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS/ IN MEMORY OF THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF/ THE BATTALION WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR/ THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ AND THOSE OFFICERS AND MEN OF/ THE ROYAL NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS/ AND THE ROYAL REGIMENT OF FUSILIERS/ WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES IN CONFLICTS SINCE/ ERECTED BY MEMBERS/ AND FRIENDS OF THE BATTALION/ “QUO FATA VOCANT”/ (WHITHER THE FATES CALL)/ THE ROLL OF HONOUR IS HELD IN/ WALKER PARISH CHURCH. A further stone plaque, to the top of the pylon, depicts the regimental badge (replacing the original bronze casting).

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.

Sources

Websites
North East War Memorials Project, accessed 17/11/2016 from http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=9252
The Long, Long Trail: The British Army in the Great War of 1914-1918, accessed 17/11/2016 from http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/northumberland-fusiliers/
War Memorials Online, accessed 23 November 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/253752
War Memorials Register, accessed 27 February 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/34588

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.