Summary

First World War memorial, 1921.

Description

First World War memorial, 1921.

MATERIALS: grey granite.

DESCRIPTION: Botcherby War Memorial is located on the corner of Warwick Road (A69) and Victoria Road, currently in the grounds of Botcherby Community Centre (moved from its original location by the school in Victoria Road), Botcherby, Cumbria. It comprises a grey granite Latin cross with raised knotwork on a rough-hewn plinth with the front face partly smooth to bear inscriptions and partly raised to include a relief-carved sword and wreath. The memorial is set upon a two-stepped base. The plinth bears the inscriptions in leaded lettering.

The inscription reads IN/ MEMORY/ AND HONOUR/ OF THE MEN/ OF BOTCHERBY/ WHO FELL IN/ THE GREAT WAR/ (NAMES)/ “TO OUR GLORIOUS DEAD”/ 1914 – 1918.

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

Botcherby War Memorial commemorates 15 local servicemen who fell in the First World War. It originally stood by the school in Victoria Road but now stands on the corner of Warwick Road and Victoria Road. It was made by Messrs Beattie and Co and was unveiled on 28 March 1921.

Reasons for Listing

Botcherby War Memorial, which is situated on the corner of Warwick Road (A69) and Victoria Road, 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 First World War.

Architectural interest:

* as a simple but well-executed granite cross featuring a relief-carved sword and wreath to the plinth.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66479829

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

• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas