Irthington war memorial

St Kentigern Churchyard, Church Close, Irthington, Cumbria, CA6 4PB

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Overview

First World War memorial, 1922, with Second World War additions. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1467588
Date first listed:: 02-Dec-2019
List Entry Name:: Irthington war memorial
Statutory Address:: St Kentigern Churchyard, Church Close, Irthington, Cumbria, CA6 4PB

Irthington war memorial — Uploaded by D Moore This photo may not represent the current condition of the site
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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1467588
Date first listed:: 02-Dec-2019
List Entry Name:: Irthington war memorial
Statutory Address 1:: St Kentigern Churchyard, Church Close, Irthington, Cumbria, CA6 4PB

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: St Kentigern Churchyard, Church Close, Irthington, Cumbria, CA6 4PB

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Cumberland (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Irthington
National Grid Reference:: NY4984861642

Summary

First World War memorial, 1922, with Second World War additions.

Reasons for Designation

Irthington War Memorial, erected 1922, 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:

* by Messrs Beattie and Co of Carlisle, it is a simple yet poignant memorial in the form of a wheel head cross with Celtic knot work carving, executed in good quality grey granite.

Group value:

* it benefits from group value with the Grade II-listed Church of St Kentigern, in whose churchyard it is located.

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 Irthington as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by nine members of the local community, who lost their lives in the First World War.

The war memorial is situated within the churchyard of the Grade II-listed Church of St Kentigern, and was made by prolific stone masons and sculptors Messrs Beattie and Co of Carlisle. It was unveiled on 24 September 1922 by ex-servicemen Mr H Herbert of West Knowe and Mr Robert Irving of Newtown and dedicated by the Bishop of Carlisle. Two additional fallen of the Second World War were added after that conflict.

Details

First World War memorial, 1922, with Second World War additions.

MATERIALS: grey granite; lead lettering

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial is situated within the churchyard of the Church of St Kentigern, prominently situated in the corner of the churchyard at a road junction. It takes the form of a wheel head cross with knot work carving and the date 1914-18 carved in relief to the cross head and upper part of a tapering shaft that surmounts a plinth with a single-stepped base. The lower shaft and the plinth bear the inscription in leaded lettering and reads: 1914 - 18// (NAMES)// IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE MEN/ FROM THIS PARISH WHO DIED FOR THEIR/ COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR, THIS CROSS/ WAS ERECTED BY THE PARISHIONERS// ALSO/ IN MEMORY OF/ THOSE FROM THIS PARISH/ WHO DIED DURING/ THE 1939-1945 WAR/ (NAMES).

Sources

Websites
Imperial War Museum Inventory, accessed 25-10-2019 from https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/4305
War Memorials Trust Inventory, accessed 25-10-2019 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/173853/

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.