Croston War Memorial
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1458957
- Date first listed:
- 06-Sept-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Croston War Memorial
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1458957
- Date first listed:
- 06-Sept-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Croston War Memorial
- Location Description:
- Junction of Highfield Road and Grape Lane, Croston, Chorley, Lancashire.
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
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Lancashire
- District:
- Chorley (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Croston
- National Grid Reference:
- SD4913718460
Summary
War memorial, unveiled 1920, with Second World War additions.
Reasons for Designation
Croston War Memorial, unveiled 1920, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* as a wheel-cross memorial decorated with high-quality carvings.
Group value:
* it forms a group with the nearby listed buildings including Rectory House and its gateway (both Grade II), and Church of St Michael and All Angels (Grade II*).
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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Croston 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 war memorial at Croston was unveiled on Saturday 30 October 1920. Following the end of the Second World War a further dedication was added to the base.
Details
War memorial, unveiled 1920, with Second World War additions.
MATERIALS: granite with raised metal lettering.
DESCRIPTION: the war memorial has a two-tier base surmounted by a tapering plinth. It is topped by a shaft and a wheel cross which are both decorated on the front (west face) by a carved Celtic knot design and the dates of the conflict 1914 and 1919. There is a dedication at the base of the shaft which reads: IN/ IMPERISHABLE/ MEMORY/ OF THE MEN/ OF CROSTON/ WHO MADE THE/ SUPREME/ SACRIFICE/ IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ "THEIR NAME/ LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE". The names of the Fallen are in recessed panels on the sides of the plinth. Plaques have been added to the base to commemorate the Fallen of the Second World War including a dedication (west face) reading: GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN/ THAN THIS THAT A MAN LAY DOWN/ HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS and the names on the side returns.
Sources
Websites
Croston War Memorial, accessed 24 July 2018 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/564
Croston War Memorial, accessed 24 July 2018 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/172552/
1950s image of Croston War Memorial, accessed 24 July 2018 from https://www.francisfrith.com/uk/croston/croston-the-war-memorial-c1950_c474003
Unveiling of Croston War Memorial, accessed 24 July 2018 from https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000711/19201101/159/0005
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 15-Jul-2026 at 02:33:20.
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.