Kirkoswald 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:
- 1463175
- Date first listed:
- 27-Mar-2019
- List Entry Name:
- Kirkoswald War Memorial
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1463175
- Date first listed:
- 27-Mar-2019
- List Entry Name:
- Kirkoswald War Memorial
- Location Description:
- Sited in The Square, Kirkoswald, Cumbria at NY 55500 41211.
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.
- District:
- Westmorland and Furness (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Kirkoswald
- National Grid Reference:
- NY5550041211
Summary
First World War memorial of 1924 in the form of a medieval-style market cross.
Reasons for Designation
Kirkoswald War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following reasons:
Historical Interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* for preserving the site of Kirkoswald’s medieval market cross.
Architectural Interest:
* as a good example of a war memorial modelled on a medieval-style market cross.
Group value:
* with the Grade II-listed Village Stocks immediately adjacent to the west.
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. One such memorial was unveiled by Colonel T Fetherstonhaugh on the 26 December 1920 in the square at the centre of Kirkoswald. The memorial was built by local craftsmen Mr H Graves of Lazonby, Messrs Ficher of Great Salkeld and Clementson of Kirkoswald as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community. It lists the names of 18 local men who died in the First World War with a plaque added after the Second World War listing the names of the four men from Kirkoswald who died in that conflict. The memorial, in the form of a medieval-style market cross, was placed on the site of Kirkoswald’s earlier market cross. It is not known if the memorial was a copy of the original cross.
Details
War memorial, 1920.
MATERIALS: red sandstone with bronze plaques.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial is in the form of a medieval market cross with a patonce cross (a cross with arms that expand outwards, the ends being divided into triple points imitating leaves) raised on a tall, chamfered shaft set on a plinth, the plinth being placed at the top of a set of three steps. The steps rise from a red sandstone pavement and are within an enclosure of iron railings with a gate to the west. The east face of the steps, facing the main road, carries the inscription:
1914-1918
ENOUGH THAT VALOUR FILLS THE SPACE BETWEEN
Above, affixed to the plinth, there is a bronze plaque with the names and ranks of 18 men ordered by surname. On the south face there is a similar bronze plaque commemorating the Second World War, listing the names and rank of four further men.
Sources
Websites
War Mamorials Register entry held be the Imperial War Museum, accessed 20/2/19 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/2994
Other
Newspaper report: Cumberland News 1/1/1921 page 8
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
The listed building is shown coloured blue on the attached map. Pursuant to s1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) structures attached to or within the curtilage of the listed building but not coloured blue on the map, are not to be treated as part of the listed building for the purposes of the Act. However, any works to these structures which have the potential to affect the character of the listed building as a building of special architectural or historic interest may still require Listed Building Consent (LBC) and this is a matter for the Local Planning Authority (LPA) to determine.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 09-Jun-2026 at 05:52:20.
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.