Waverton War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial cross, unveiled 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Waverton War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* a tall and imposing war memorial cross decorated with carved interlace patterns, in the Celtic style.

Group value:

* with the Church of St Peter (Grade II*) and the sundial in the churchyard and churchyard walls, gate piers and gates (all Grade II-listed).

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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised at Waverton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 13 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial was unveiled on 31 May 1920 by the Bishop of Chester. It had cost £110, raised by nearly 200 subscribers to the memorial fund. Following the Second World War the names of two men who died in that conflict were added to the memorial dedication.

Details

The memorial takes the form of a Celtic cross, located in the churchyard of the Church of St Peter (Grade II*) and in close proximity to churchyard structures listed at Grade II. The sandstone cross is about 4m tall. A three-stepped square base supports a square plinth. Rising from the plinth is a plain tapering cross shaft which is surmounted by the wheel-head cross. Both front and rear faces of the cross head are ornamented with a Celtic interlace pattern carved in low relief.

The principal dedicatory inscription incised into the east face of the memorial’s plinth reads ERECTED BY THE PARISHIONERS OF/ WAVERTON AND HATTON IN/ GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THESE MEN/ WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ 1914 + 1919/ (13 NAMES). The later inscription to the west face of the plinth reads ALSO/ IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/ THESE MEN/ WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ 1939 + 1945/ (2 NAMES).


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, 27 February 2018.

Sources

Books and journals
Wittle, J., Waverton: A History of its People and Places, (2002), pp64-5

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 24 October 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/9890
War Memorials Online, accessed 27 February 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/255076

Other
The Cheshire Observer, Saturday, 3 April 1920

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