Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled on 17 July 1921, with Second World War additions.

Description

MATERIALS: white marble memorial, sandstone flags, iron railings.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial consists of a tapering marble pillar with a crown top on which stands a draped urn with a carved wreath circling it. The pillar is set upon a square plan plinth which rises from a two-stepped base. It stands some 3m high.

The inscriptions are all in lead lettering. On the pillar is the dedicatory inscription which reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD / AND / IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF / THE FOLLOWING / WHO GALLANTLY DIED / IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914 – 1918. On the plinth below are the names the men of the parish who fell in the First World War.

On the top step the inscription reads: 1939 – 1945 (NAME) / ERECTED BY THE PARISHIONERS OF / NORTH AND SOUTH COWTON.

The memorial stands on a small flagstone paved area enclosed by iron railings.

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 dedicated at North Cowton on 17 July 1921 as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the South and North Cowton community, who lost their lives in the First World War. It commemorates nine local servicemen who died during the First World War. 

Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the one fallen of that conflict.

In 2013 the memorial was repaired and conserved with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.

Reasons for Listing

North Cowton War Memorial, unveiled 17 July 1921, 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: a solemn and evocative marble urn memorial.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66477864

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

• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)