Whicham and Silecroft War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1921, with Second World War addition.

Reasons for Designation

Whicham and Silecroft War Memorial, built 1921, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this coastal community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* it is a dignified monument executed in good quality materials.

History

Whicham and Silecroft War Memorial is located at Hodgson's Green, adjacent to the junction of the A5093 with Main Street, Silecroft, Cumbria. It is prominently situated, facing towards the village, with an open landscape beyond. The war memorial commemorates eight local servicemen who fell (and 55 who served) in the First World War, and two men who fell in the Second World War. The memorial was paid for by public subscription and was unveiled on 3 April 1921 by Lieutenant Colonel William Henry Stott, Companion of the Order of the Bath, and Commanding Officer of the Liverpool Regiment. During 2017, the railings were removed, sand blasted and hot dip galvanised, before re-instatement in readiness for the centenary commemoration of a local man - Lance-Sergeant Tom Fletcher Mayson VC. A memorial stone was installed adjacent to the memorial on 31 July 2017; to commemorate his being awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous bravery during an attack on the German lines at Wieltje in Belgium one hundred years earlier.

Details

First World War memorial, 1921, with Second World War addition.

MATERIALS: stone; concrete; iron

DESCRIPTION: Whicham and Silecroft War Memorial comprises a 2.14m ashlar stone obelisk on a two-stepped square paving-clad plinth, surrounded by a bed of chippings, enclosed by a low square-plan concrete wall supporting ornamental iron railings. The south-west face of the shaft bears an incised inscription that lists eight Fallen soldiers from the First World War and the two from the Second World War, it reads: MEN/ OF/ WHICHAM/ WHO/ SERVED IN/ THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918/ FALLEN/ (NAMES)/ THESE ALSO DIED FOR US/ 1939-1945/ (NAMES). Inscriptions on the north-west and south-east faces list the names of the 55 men who served during the First World War. A secondary memorial stone commemorates the Victoria Cross holder Lance-Sergeant Tom Fletcher Mayson VC.

Sources

Websites
Whicham and Silecroft - including Tom Fletcher Mayson VC, accessed 09 May 2018 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/3930
War Memorials Online - Silecroft & Whicham, accessed 09 May 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/174438
The Mail - Tribute to Silecroft Victoria cross winner to mark a century, accessed 09 May 2018 from http://www.nwemail.co.uk/Tribute-to-Silecroft-Victoria-Cross-winner-to-mark-a-century-6b37237f-0949-4ed7-8b60-7632cfc51047-ds

Other
The London Gazette, 9 February 1917, p 1458
Lancashire Evening Post, 04 April 1921, page four, column seven
The London Gazette, 14 September 1917

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