Summary

First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

Description

The memorial stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Brandon (Grade I-listed), within the Grade II-registered park of Brancepeth Castle. Built in Heworth stone and c6m tall, it comprises a cross fleury with a moulded foot rising from a tapering, octagonal, shaft. There is a shield carved at the cross arms bearing the monogram IHS. The cross shaft stands on a small pedestal with broach stops to the corners and a stepped, tapering, foot. That stands on a three-stepped, square, base.

The principal dedicatory inscription on the front face of the pedestal reads THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ OUR GLORIOUS DEAD/ 1939 – 1945. The commemorated names are incised on the remaining three faces.

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, 7 February 2017.

History

Brancepeth War Memorial was unveiled on 2 June 1921 by Lt-Col Hugh Bowes RD DL and dedicated by the Venerable PA Derry, Archdeacon of Auckland, in commemoration of 16 local servicemen who died during the First World War. The stone for the memorial, and the stonemasons' labour, had been donated by Viscount Boyne of Brancepeth Castle and the remaining costs of £148 12s 8d were raised by public subscription in the estate village. The cross was designed by WH Wood of Newcastle. Following the Second World War the details of one soldier who died in that conflict were added to the memorial.

Reasons for Listing

Brancepeth War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Brandon, 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 sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: an elegant memorial cross in the medieval style;
* Group value: with the Church of St Brandon (Grade I-listed), the park of Brancepeth Castle (Grade II-registered) and a number of other listed structures.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26677960

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

• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]