Summary

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

Description

The tall stone memorial stands on Egglescliffe Bank c50m to the NW of the Church of St John the Baptist (Grade I-listed), overlooking the River Tees. It takes the form of a Latin cross rising from a moulded collar at the top of a tapering, octagonal, shaft. The shaft stands on an elaborate plinth, rectangular on plan, with scrolled sides to N and S and a broad base. The plinth stands on a two-stepped base, half-round to the front. The whole is raised on a paved platform, railed and approached by a rake of four steps to the E side.

Towards the foot of the shaft the dates 1914/ 1919 are carved in low relief inside a small cartouche. The original list of commemorated names, incised into the front face of the plinth, are covered with a black stone plaque. On this the First and Second World War names are recorded under the dates 1914 – 1918 and 1939-1945. Underneath is a narrow frieze is incised: TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR. The dates 1939 and 1945 are carved in low relief on the chamfered step of the plinth’s base, flanking the incised Second World War names. On the face below, a black stone plaque reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO/ FELL IN THE GREAT WARS.

The attached black stone plaques, the enclosure railings and pavement, and the rake of steps to the E side, are excluded from the listing.

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, 6 March 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 the country. 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 at Egglescliffe as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. Following the Second World War the names of those men who had died in that conflict were added. The memorial underwent restoration in 1988 and 2005.

Reasons for Listing

Egglescliffe War Memorial, which stands on Egglescliffe Bank, 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 sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: an elegant memorial cross;
* Group value: with the Grade I-listed Church of St John the Baptist.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478455

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

• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)