Park Road Methodist Church War Memorial

Darwen Cemetery, Bolton Road, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 2LS

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

First World War memorial. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1457590
Date first listed:: 24-Jul-2018
List Entry Name:: Park Road Methodist Church War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Darwen Cemetery, Bolton Road, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 2LS

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1457590
Date first listed:: 24-Jul-2018
List Entry Name:: Park Road Methodist Church War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Darwen Cemetery, Bolton Road, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 2LS

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Darwen Cemetery, Bolton Road, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 2LS

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Blackburn with Darwen (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Darwen
National Grid Reference:: SD6982720296

Summary

First World War memorial.

Reasons for Designation

Park Road Methodist Church War Memorial, which is situated in Darwen Cemetery on Bolton Road in Darwen, 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 evocative and well-executed stone pillar with relief-carved decorative details.

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 Darwen as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 15 members of the Park Road Methodist Church and Sunday School who lost their lives in the First World War.

Little is known about the history of the memorial, although it was originally located within the grounds of Park Road Methodist Church in Darwen. Following the closure of the church, the memorial was temporarily relocated to Whitehall Park in 2003 before being moved to its current location in Darwen Cemetery.

Details

Park Road Methodist Church War Memorial is located within Darwen Cemetery close to the entrance on Bolton Road. It stands opposite the Darwen CWGC Cross of Sacrifice.

The memorial takes the form of a rectangular stone pillar surmounted by a curved-headed corniced block with indented corners with egg and dart moulding. A serpent devouring itself with its tail in its mouth is carved in relief on the north face of the block representing the eternal cycle of destruction and re-birth. The pillar has recessed panels on the east and west faces and a stone plaque on the north face. The pillar rises from a deep two-stepped base. The north and south faces of the top step have a wreath carved in relief; within the wreath on the north face is incised PARK/ ROAD/ METHODIST/ CHURCH.

The north face of the pillar reads TO THE HONOURED MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF THIS CHURCH/ AND SUNDAY SCHOOL/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR./ 1914 – 1919/ (15 NAMES)/ “THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE”. The bottom step of the plinth bears the inscription CHRIST DIED FOR ALL MEN/ THESE DIED FOR OUR COUNTRY.

Sources

Websites
War Memorial Register, accessed 25 October 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/51319
War Memorials Online, accessed 25 Oct 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/139026/
Other
‘Soldiers save memorial to the fallen for town display’, Lancashire Evening Telegraph, (15 September 2007), p7

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.