Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1920, designed by Messrs Hicks and Charlesworth.

Description

The memorial stands outside the Church of St Oswald (Grade II-listed), to the S side overlooking Brougham Terrace. It takes the form of a hooded crucifixion in Windy Nook stone, nearly 5m tall. The cross shaft rises from the corniced top of an octagonal plinth. The cornice is decorated with a frieze of carved rosettes. The plinth stands on a three-stepped base.

The principal dedicatory inscription is incised to the front face of the cross shaft, at the foot, reading TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN LOVING/ AND GRATEFUL/ MEMORY OF/ THOSE WHO FOR/ COUNTRY/ FOR HOME AND/ FOR US GAVE/ THEIR LIVES/ IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919. The commemorated names are carved on the eight faces of the plinth.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 22 February 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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised outside St Oswald’s Church, West Hartlepool, 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 1 January 1920 by Captain W Gray and dedicated by the Bishop of Jarrow. It commemorates 152 local servicemen who died in the First World War. The memorial cost £358 0s 10d, designed by Messrs Hicks and Charlesworth, architects, of Newcastle.

Reasons for Listing

The war memorial which stands outside St Oswald’s Church, West Hartlepool, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the First World War;
* Architectural interest: a tall and imposing Calvary;
* Group value: with the Church of St Oswald (Grade II).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478350

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

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  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
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  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
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  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
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  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide