History in Structure

Stoke-on-Trent new Cenotaph and surrounding walls

A Grade II Listed Building in Stoke-on-Trent, City of Stoke-on-Trent

We don't have any photos of this building yet. Why don't you be the first to send us one?

Upload Photo »

Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

Coordinates

Latitude: 53.0046 / 53°0'16"N

Longitude: -2.1827 / 2°10'57"W

OS Eastings: 387833

OS Northings: 345270

OS Grid: SJ878452

Mapcode National: GBR MKK.2F

Mapcode Global: WHBCT.FQTZ

Plus Code: 9C5V2R38+RW

Entry Name: Stoke-on-Trent new Cenotaph and surrounding walls

Listing Date: 14 March 2017

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1444631

ID on this website: 101444631

Location: Stoke-upon-Trent, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4

County: City of Stoke-on-Trent

Electoral Ward/Division: Penkhull and Stoke

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: Stoke-on-Trent

Traditional County: Staffordshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Staffordshire

Church of England Parish: Stoke upon Trent and Fenton

Church of England Diocese: Lichfield

Tagged with: War memorial

Find accommodation in
Stoke on Trent

Summary


A First and Second World War memorial in the form of a cenotaph, erected in 1938, with surrounding walls.

Description


A First and Second World War memorial in the form of a cenotaph, erected in 1938, with surrounding walls.

MATERIALS
Brick.

DESCRIPTION
A cenotaph of columns of bull-nosed red bricks, with a large cross in relief, of buff brick, to each face, set on a plain red brick plinth with moulded top. The cenotaph steps in towards the top, and has a ball finial at each corner supporting a flat capping stone. A bronze plaque affixed to the front face of the plinth carries the inscription THE / GLORIOUS / DEAD / 1914 – 1918 / 1939 – 1945. Further plaques commemorate the Battle of Normandy (1944, set up by the Normandy Veterans’ Association), Battle of Dunkirk (1940, set up by the Dunkirk Veterans’ Association), the Battle of El Alamein (1942, set up by the Eighth Army Association) and the Korean War (1950-3).

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES
The memorial stands in a square enclosure bounded by low walls of brown brick, with a canted pier with flat stone cap at each corner, and scrolling brick to the openings on each side.


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, 16 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 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.

The present Stoke-on-Trent war memorial, known as the New Cenotaph, was unveiled on 7 July 1938, to commemorate those townspeople who had lost their lives in both World Wars. The memorial replaced a First World War memorial of Portland stone, a replica of the Whitehall cenotaph, which had been erected in 1920, funded by public subscription. It was set up in a prominent location outside the Kings Hall.

Reasons for Listing


Stoke New Cenotaph and surrounding walls, a First and Second World War memorial erected in 1938, 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 conflicts of the C20;
* Group value: with the Grade-II listed King’s Hall, in whose forecourt it stands.

External Links

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

Other nearby listed buildings

BritishListedBuildings.co.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact BritishListedBuildings.co.uk for any queries related to any individual listed building, planning permission related to listed buildings or the listing process itself.

British Listed Buildings is a Good Stuff website.