Ashton Hayes War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1920, by Messrs Patteson of Manchester, with a Second World War addition.

Reasons for Designation

Ashton Hayes War Memorial, 1920, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this small rural community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* it is a dignified memorial in the form of a rough-hewn Cornish granite Celtic wheel-head cross in a prominent position, which provides a fitting tribute to the fallen.

Group value:

* the memorial has spatial group value with the Grade II-listed Church of St John the Evangelist and Ashton Village Hall.

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 Ashton, later known as Ashton Hayes, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 14 members of the local community from Ashton, Mouldsworth and Manley, as well as 3 others with links to the parishes, who lost their lives in the First World War.

In April 1920, the Ashton Parish Council considered the raising of a memorial to honour the men of the parish who had lost their lives in the First World War and a decision was taken unanimously at a public meeting that it should take the form of a Celtic cross paid for by public subscription. The memorial was erected by Messrs Patteson of Manchester at the entrance to West End, opposite the Golden Lion public house in the centre of the village. Following a procession from the village school; the memorial was unveiled at a ceremony on Saturday 7 August 1920, with prayers being led by the Reverend J Gardner, Wesleyan Minister, and addresses being given by the vicar Reverend A J Crawford and Major E Johnson. Following the Second World War a further name was added to the memorial. The memorial was moved in 1964 to its present position, within the churchyard of the listed Grade II-Church of St John the Evangelist.

Details

First World War memorial, 1920, with a Second World War addition.

MATERIALS: Cornish granite.

DESCRIPTION: Ashton Hayes War Memorial comprises a rough-hewn Celtic wheel-head cross surmounting a tapering pedestal with rounded shoulders, raised on a single step base, on a concrete podium, with a surface of inset random stone slates. The shaft of the cross has a recessed ashlar panel, emblazoned with a broadsword carved in bas relief, pointing downwards. The sides of the cross are gently canted and terminate in a flared base. The front of the pedestal has a recessed ashlar panel, with inset lead lettering that reads: IN MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918/ [NAMES]/ 1939-1945/ [NAME].

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museum War memorial Register - Ashton Hayes - WW1 and WW2, accessed 7 June 2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/2156
War Memorials Online - Ashton Hayes, accessed 7 June 2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/235270
St John the Evangelist Ashton Hayes, accessed 7 June 2019 from http://www.ashtonhayes.btck.co.uk/HistoryofStJohns

Other
Cheshire Observer, Saturday 14 August 1920, Page 6, - Ashton Hayes War Memorial

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.

Print the official list entry