Summary

First World War memorial, 1923.

Description

MATERIALS: Granite.

DESCRIPTION: West Kirby war memorial is located within the churchyard of St Bridget’s Church. It comprises a wheel-head cross surmounting a shaft which are adorned with a Sword of Sacrifice carved in relief. At the base of the shaft is a small knot-work cross in relief. The cross rises from a square slightly tapered plinth set upon a two-stepped hexagonal base.

The inscription on the plinth commemorates the men of the parish who died in the First World War and reads: PRO DEO PRO PATRIA / TO REMEMBER / THE MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO / AT THE CALL OF DUTY LAID DOWN / THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914 – 1919 / “THESE IN THE GLORIOUS MORNING / OF THEIR DAYS, / FOR ENGLAND'S SAKE, LOST ALL BUT / ENGLAND'S PRAISE” / “LORD, ALL PITYING, JESU BLEST / GRANT THEM THINE ETERNAL REST” / THE NAMES ARE RECORDED / ON A TABLET IN THE CHURCH. The lettering is raised lead lettering painted black.

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.

One such memorial was raised at West Kirby as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

It was dedicated in 1923 by Rev Charles Broke Gwynne and the names of those who died are recorded on a tablet in the church.

In 2015 works were undertaken to improve the legibility of the inscription with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.

Reasons for Listing

West Kirby War Memorial 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 community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: an elegant granite wheel-head cross with carved decorative details;
* Group value: with St Bridget’s Church (Grade II).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66477722

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

• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)