Summary
First World War memorial, 1919, with Second World War additions.
Reasons for Designation
Blackhill War Memorial, 1919, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
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 Blackhill in the churchyard of the Roman Catholic Church of St Mary as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 92 members of the congregation who lost their lives; in total some 800 served. The war memorial was designed by Mr F Foyle of Consett and built by Mr R Hedley, of Newcastle, with masonry work by R Beall of Newcastle; the total cost was £250. The memorial was unveiled and dedicated on 18 September 1919 by Canon Augustine Magill of Brooms. After the Second World War the names of 50 fallen from that conflict were added to the memorial. It was rededicated on 14 October 1999.
Details
First World War memorial, 1919, with Second World War additions.
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