Cartmel War Memorial, Lower Allithwaite, Cumbria

Entry Name: Cartmel War Memorial

Listing Date: 7 August 2018

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1457219

ID on this website: 101457219

Location: Priory Church of St Mary, Cartmel, Westmorland and Furness, Cumbria, LA11

County: Cumbria

District: South Lakeland

Civil Parish: Lower Allithwaite

Traditional County: Lancashire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Cumbria

Tagged with: War memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1920, with Second World War additions.

Description

First World War memorial, 1920.

MATERIALS: sandstone.

DESCRIPTION: Cartmel War Memorial is located in the churchyard of St Mary’s Priory Church, Priory Close, Cartmel, Cumbria. It is prominently situated near the churchyard entrance and close to the south porch entrance to the priory. It comprises a Celtic sandstone cross with strap work carving to head and upper shaft, on a low four-sided plinth and two-stepped square base. The plinth bears the dedication in relief-carved lettering and the shaft bears the names, also in relief lettering.

The inscription reads: (NAMES)/ 1914 – 1919/ (NAMES)/ 1939 – 1945// TO THE MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR.

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 at Cartmel as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Cartmel War Memorial was situated within the priory churchyard. The memorial commemorates 16 local servicemen who fell in the First World War and three men who fell in the Second World War. The memorial was probably designed by Curwen of Kendal and it was unveiled on 5 September 1920 by Lord Richard Cavendish of Holker Hall and dedicated by Archdeacon Lafone.

Reasons for Listing

Cartmel War Memorial, which is located in the churchyard of St Mary’s Priory Church, 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:

* as an elegant and accomplished sandstone Celtic cross.

Group value:

* with the Grade I-listed Church of St Mary and the Grade II-listed Priory House, the Grade II-listed The Larch Tree Ye Priory Shoppe and numerous listed buildings around Priory Close, as well as numerous listed monuments in the churchyard.

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.