Great Orton War Memorial
Churchyard of the Church of St Giles, Great Orton, Cumbria, CA5 6NW
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1458612
- Date first listed:
- 06-Sept-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Great Orton War Memorial
- Statutory Address:
- Churchyard of the Church of St Giles, Great Orton, Cumbria, CA5 6NW
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1458612
- Date first listed:
- 06-Sept-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Great Orton War Memorial
- Statutory Address 1:
- Churchyard of the Church of St Giles, Great Orton, Cumbria, CA5 6NW
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:
- Churchyard of the Church of St Giles, Great Orton, Cumbria, CA5 6NW
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Cumberland (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Orton
- National Grid Reference:
- NY3288154314
Summary
First World War memorial, 1920.
Reasons for Designation
Great Orton War Memorial, which is situated in St Giles 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 well-executed granite, sandstone and bronze composite boulder memorial.
Group value:
* with the Grade II*-listed Church of St Giles, and the Grade II-listed The Old Rectory and the Grade II-listed Cross House Farm.
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 Great Orton as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
Great Orton War Memorial was situated within the churchyard. The memorial commemorates nine local servicemen who fell in the First World War. The faculty for its erection was granted in May 1920 and it was unveiled and dedicated on 30 May 1920 by the rector, the Reverend Canon W P Gillbanks, and the Bishop of Barrow in Furness. The boulder that forms the main part of the memorial was apparently found by the rector in a field at the Flatt. The surrounding shell cases and chains are mentioned in an account of the unveiling.
Details
First World War memorial, 1920.
MATERIALS: granite; sandstone; bronze.
DESCRIPTION: Great Orton War Memorial is located in the churchyard of St Giles Church, Cross House Gardens, Great Orton, Cumbria. It is prominently situated by the churchyard entrance. It comprises a granite boulder (roughly teardrop shaped) with a bronze plaque attached to its smoothed front face, with a bronze cross affixed to its tip. It is set upon a two-tiered square sandstone base of dressed stone blocks. On the first of these steps, four shell cases painted black form the corner posts for the chains surrounding the monument.
The plaque carries the inscription and names and the crest of the Border regiment. The inscription reads: 4th AUG 1914 11th NOV 1918/ (NAMES)/ “QUAE POTUÉRE”
Sources
Websites
War Memorial Register, accessed 2 April 2018 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/4301
War Memorials Online, accessed 2 April 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/124965/
The Royal British Legion, Carlisle and Stanwix Branch, accessed 2 April 2018 from http://branches.britishlegion.org.uk/branches/carlisle/ww1-heroes-walk-of-honour/memorial-49-great-orton-st-giles-church-yard-war-memorial
Other
Great Orton War Memorial, Wigton Advertiser, 5 June 1920
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 06-Jun-2026 at 17:13:38.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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