Shap War Memorial

Churchyard of the Church of St Michael, Church Street, Shap, Cumbria, CA10 3LD

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Overview

First World War memorial, 1920, with Second World War additions. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1457760
Date first listed:: 07-Aug-2018
List Entry Name:: Shap War Memorial
Statutory Address:: Churchyard of the Church of St Michael, Church Street, Shap, Cumbria, CA10 3LD

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1457760
Date first listed:: 07-Aug-2018
List Entry Name:: Shap War Memorial
Statutory Address 1:: Churchyard of the Church of St Michael, Church Street, Shap, Cumbria, CA10 3LD

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:: Churchyard of the Church of St Michael, Church Street, Shap, Cumbria, CA10 3LD

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

District:: Westmorland and Furness (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Shap
National Grid Reference:: NY5638915368

Summary

First World War memorial, 1920, with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Shap War Memorial, which is situated in St Michael’s 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 this local community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* as a simple but impressive and well-executed granite cross made in immediately local stone, to resonate strongly with the locality.

Group value:

* with the Grade II-listed Church of St Michael and the Grade II-listed north entrance gates and piers to the churchyard.

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 Shap as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Shap War Memorial was situated within the churchyard. The memorial commemorates 36 local servicemen who fell in the First World War and ten men who fell in the Second World War.

A local meeting was held in February 1919 to discuss the issue of having a war memorial for Shap. By 5 December 1920 the memorial cross had been unveiled by Lady Bagot and dedicated by the Bishop of Barrow, and plans continued towards purchasing the Public Hall from the Lowther Estate, as part of the wider commemorative scheme.

Details

First World War memorial, 1920.

MATERIALS: Shap granite.

DESCRIPTION: Shap War Memorial is located in the churchyard of St Michael’s Church, Church Street, Shap, Cumbria. It is prominently situated at the junction of the churchyard paths in the northern entrance to the churchyard. It comprises a Shap granite polished wheel-head cross with “IHS" monogram at the centre, on a tapering shaft, splay-moulded foot, and tapering four-sided plinth and single-stepped base. The plinth and base are rough-hewn but with polished faces to carry the incised and blacked inscriptions. A low semi-circular kerb surrounds the memorial in matching stone.

The inscription is incised and reads: (NAMES)// TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN EVER/ SACRED MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE/ IN THE GREAT WAR,/ 1914 – 1918./ “GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS THAT A/ MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS”// ON THIS MEMORIAL/ ARE ALSO RECORDED/ THE NAMES OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR/ 1939 – 1945/ IN THE DEFENCE OF/ THEIR FRIENDS AND OF/ THE LIBERTY OF MANKIND// 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES).

Sources

Websites
War Memorial Register, accessed 2 April 2018 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/3123
War Memorials Online, accessed 2 April 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/172547/

Legal

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