St John's Church War Memorial, Smallbridge
Vicarage Drive, Halifax Road, Smallbridge, Rochdale, OL16 2QJ
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1455168
- Date first listed:
- 26-Jun-2018
- List Entry Name:
- St John's Church War Memorial, Smallbridge
- Statutory Address:
- Vicarage Drive, Halifax Road, Smallbridge, Rochdale, OL16 2QJ
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1455168
- Date first listed:
- 26-Jun-2018
- List Entry Name:
- St John's Church War Memorial, Smallbridge
- Statutory Address 1:
- Vicarage Drive, Halifax Road, Smallbridge, Rochdale, OL16 2QJ
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Vicarage Drive, Halifax Road, Smallbridge, Rochdale, OL16 2QJ
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Rochdale (Metropolitan Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SD9136515265
Summary
First World War memorial, approx 1920, with Second World War additions.
Reasons for Designation
St John’s Church War Memorial, Smallbridge, 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:
* an elegant sandstone cross decorated with sculpted foliate design and plaitwork ornament.
Group value:
* with the Grade II-listed Church of St John.
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 the churchyard of St John's Church, Smallbridge 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 names of those who died in the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.
Details
First World War memorial, approx 1920, with Second World War additions.
DESCRIPTION: the war memorial is located in front of the north-west elevation of the Grade II-listed Church of St John the Baptist at the end of the path along the churchyard from the Halifax Road entrance.
The cross is made from sandstone, set upon a square plinth with sloping shoulders and a two-stepped base. The north-west face of the cross is decorated with sculpted foliate ornament with 'ihs’ at the centre and edged with sculpted plaitwork. The names are inscribed on inset panels on three sides of the plinth edged with similar sculpted ropework.
At the base of the cross in ornate letters is the inscription IN/ LOVING MEMORY/ OF/ with names on the plinth below. The top step of the base carries the inscription OBEDIENT EVEN UNTO DEATH/ PRO PATRIA 1914 – 18/ ERECTED WITH SANCTUARY AND SIDE-CHAPEL/ MEMORIALS. BY THEIR FRIENDS/ OF ST JOHN’S SMALLBRIDGE.
On the south-east face of the plinth are a further four names and then Second World War additions inscribed ALSO IN MEMORY OF/ THE FOLLOWING WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES IN THE WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945/ (EIGHT NAMES).
A low bronze railing surrounds the memorial.
Sources
Websites
War Memorial Register, accessed 27 February 2018 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/45074
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 25-Jun-2026 at 16:26:53.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.