Summary
First and Second World War memorial, unveiled 1949.
Reasons for Designation
Whittingham War Memorial Cross, which stands outside St Bartholomew’s 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 sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: a simple yet poignant memorial cross built in regional stone types;
* Group value: with the Grade I-listed Church of St Bartholomew and numerous Grade II-listed churchyard monuments.
History
The aftermath of the First and Second World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across the country. 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.
Details
The memorial stands to the south of the Church of St Bartholomew (Grade I-listed), positioned as close as possible to the church’s First World War memorial window that had been unveiled in 1920 by the Bishop of Newcastle, commemorating the 33 local servicemen who had died in the conflict.
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