Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1920.

Description

The memorial stands outside the Church of St Peter (Grade II*-listed), facing Yarm Road. Made in a pale stone, it takes the form of a tall, hooded, crucifixion. The cross shaft rises from a small moulded pedestal, which stands on a three-stepped base.

The dedicatory inscription is incised to the front face of the pedestal, reading TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN EVER LIVING/ GRATITUDE TO HEROES/ OF THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1919. No names are recorded on the memorial cross: the 62 commemorated servicemen are listed on a wooden plaque inside the church.

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, 23 November 2017.

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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised outside St Peter’s Church, Stockton on Tees, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. The memorial was unveiled on 27 November 1920 by an ex-serviceman, N Hibbins, and dedicated by Reverend FH Kirkham.

Reasons for Listing

The war memorial cross which stands outside St Peter’s Church, Stockton on Tees, 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 First World War;
* Architectural interest: a tall Calvary type of war memorial in a pale stone contrasting pleasingly with the dark red brick of the church;
* Group value: with the Church of St Peter (Grade II*).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478222

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

• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)