Peace Cross, Woolton

Summary

First World War memorial commemorating the peace of Armistice Day, erected around 1919, designed by Robert Gladstone.

Reasons for Designation

The Peace Cross, Woolton, erected around 1919 and designed by Robert Gladstone, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* it is an unusual and rare example of a First World War memorial commemorating peace and the signing of the Armistice in 1918 rather than the sacrifice of the fallen;
* it has strong cultural and historic significance within both a local and national context, and is an eloquent witness to the impact of tragic world events.

Architectural interest:

* it has a highly distinguished and powerful Celtic cross design richly decorated with symbolic Art Nouveau foliate imagery representing life before war, the horrors of war, and the possibilities offered by peace.

Group value:

* with the adjacent Church of St Peter and the lych gate at the entrance to the churchyard, which are listed at Grade II* and Grade II respectively.

History

The peace cross outside the Church of St Peter (Grade II*) believed to have been erected in around 1919 and was designed by Robert Gladstone. It was erected at a cost of £250, which was paid for by public subscription from village residents of all denominations. The cross was originally located in the churchyard at the head of a path leading from the lych gate to just beyond the south porch. On 28 October 1927 a storm blew the cross over and caused substantial damage. An appeal was made to raise funds for its restoration, which was completed by Griffiths of Chester on 26 August 1929. The cross was moved to a more sheltered location outside the churchyard alongside Church Road, which was also deemed more appropriate for a communal memorial.

Details

First World War memorial commemorating the peace of Armistice Day, around 1919, designed by Robert Gladstone.

MATERIALS: red sandstone

DESCRIPTION: the cross is located just outside the churchyard of the Church of St Peter alongside Church Road and is aligned with the church's east window. It is constructed of red sandstone set upon a rectangular plinth and has a Celtic cross design with carved Art Nouveau foliate decoration on both the front and rear faces that winds up to the cross head. The lower part of the decoration with its simple foliage represents pleasant and normal times in life before war. This then changes to a crown of thorns representing the agony and horror of war, which in turn becomes flower buds arranged around the top of the cross that represent the possibilities offered by peace. Below the carved decoration on each front and rear face is large relief lettering that reads 'PEACE', and at the base of each face is the inscribed date '11 November 1918'.

Sources

Books and journals
Roberts, T, The Story of a Parish 1826 - 1987. A History of St Peter's Church, Woolton, in the Diocese of Liverpool, (1987), 42-43
Pevsner, N, Pollard, R, The Buildings of England. Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West, (2006), 507

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