Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 12 August 2021 to correct architects' names and to reformat the text to current standards

1916/0/10046

NEW BRIGHTON
MAGAZINES PROMENADE
New Brighton War Memorial

24-MAR-11

II
War memorial, 1921, by William Birnie Rhind (sculptor) and Briggs and Thornely (architects).

MATERIALS: it is constructed of Portland stone with a pedestal surmounted by three carved figures from the Armed Forces.

The Memorial stands on Magazines Promenade in front of the former Liscard Battery's east wall of 1858, which was abandoned in 1912 after a long period of disuse. It overlooks the River Mersey with views up to the Crosby Channel. It has a large, carved square pedestal with a carved laurel leaf band and triglyph band to the bottom, and a carved egg and dart band to the top, which is set below a cornice. The pedestal is set upon a stepped, circular plinth and surmounted by carved figures of a standing British soldier holding a rifle, a kneeling British sailor holding an anti-aircraft round and a seated Colonial soldier with a pistol. The curved east face of the pedestal depicts a carving of the Wallasey coat of arms above an inscription, which reads '1914/1919/TO THE GLORY OF GOD/AND IN HONOUR OF THE BRAVE MEN OF THIS BOROUGH/WHO SERVED IN THE GREAT/WAR AND TO THE LOVING/MEMORY OF THOSE WHO/MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE'. Inscriptions to the south and north faces read '1939-1945/IN HONOUR OF/THE MEN AND/WOMEN WHO/SERVED IN THE/ARMED FORCES/IN THE SECOND/WORLD WAR' and 'AND OF/THE MEN AND/WOMEN WHO/SERVED IN CIVIL/DEFENCE AND/THE AUXILIARY/FORCES/1939-1945' respectively. The memorial contains a casket inside which holds a Book of Remembrance recording the names of 848 men lost during WWI; an identical copy is held within Wallasey Central Library. The entire memorial is enclosed by eight low, circular Portland stone pillars connected by chains, which are in turn enclosed by a later set of black and gilded railings set in a square arrangement.

HISTORY: New Brighton war memorial was erected in 1921 to the designs of the Scottish sculptor, William Birnie Rhind (1853-1933) and the architects Briggs & Thornely (FG Briggs and Sir Arnold Thornely, who were also in partnership with HV Wolstenholme and FB Hobbs). The memorial was constructed by Thornton & Sons Ltd and was unveiled on 26th January 1921 by Lord Derby. £6,000 was raised by public subscription, of which £2,500 was used to pay for the memorial and the remainder was used to fund the extension of the Victoria Central Hospital. Inscriptions honouring those who served during the Second World War were added later.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: New Brighton war memorial, designed by William Birnie Rhind (sculptor) and Briggs and Thornely (architects) and erected in 1921, is designated at grade II for the following principal reasons:

* Historic interest: It has strong cultural and historic significance within both a local and national context
* Commemorative: It forms a poignant reminder of the effects of tragic world events on this local community and unusually commemorates both men and women
* Design quality: It was designed and sculpted by the notable Scottish sculptor, William Birnie Rhind and has a striking design and composition incorporating carved figures of a British soldier and sailor and a Colonial soldier in contrasting poses looking out over the River Mersey
* Setting: The memorial is enhanced by its setting on Magazines Promenade overlooking the River Mersey and Liverpool, and with the east wall of the former Liscard Battery as a backdrop.

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 27 January 2017.

Reasons for Listing

DCMS Approve EH Recommendation

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26410462

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)