Alderwasley War Memorial

Summary

A First World War memorial, date of construction unknown, thought to be completed shortly after 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Alderwasley War Memorial, which is situated in Alderwasley Park, 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 an elegant and evocative granite cross standing on a sandstone cairn.

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, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and 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.

Alderwasley’s war memorial is a testament to the sacrifice made by ten members of the community, who lost their lives during the war. The design and location of the memorial was agreed at a parish meeting in the summer of 1920 with the funds to be raised by public subscription. The date of completion is unknown. A plaque commemorating three who died in the Second World War was added following that conflict.

Recent updates to the memorial include cleaning of the granite elements between 2012 and 2015 and the First World War plaque at the foot of the cross shaft also appears to have been altered at the same time.

Details

A First World War memorial thought to be completed shortly after 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

MATERIALS: granite, concrete and sandstone.

DESCRIPTION: Alderwasley War Memorial stands within the grounds of Alderwasley Park. It takes the form of a granite Celtic cross with raised knotwork design. This is set on a gently tapering shaft, square on plan, which rises from a cairn constructed of loose sandstone boulders set around a concrete core.

At the foot of the cross shaft, on the north face, a plaque records the dedication: ALDERWASLEY/ THE/ GLORIOUS/ DEAD/ 1914 – 1919. A granite slab set into the north face of the cairn records the names of the ten First World War fallen.

A further granite plaque fixed to the cross shaft bears the names of the three fallen from the Second World War, with the dedication 1939 – 1945/ (NAMES).

Sources

Books and journals
Cairn for Alderwasley in Derbyshire Courier, (7 August 1920), p7
Wirksworth, Middleton-by-Wirksworth and District in Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald, (7 August 1920), p6
Derby and Derbyshire and Elsewhere in Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal, (6 August 1920), p23

Websites
War Memorials Register - Imperial War Museum, accessed 5 February 2020 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/708
War Memorials Online, accessed 5 February 2020 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/200097

End of official list entry

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