Pool-in-Wharfedale War Memorial, Pool, Leeds

Summary

First World War memorial, erected in 1923, with secondary memorial plaques for subsequent conflicts.

Description

First World War memorial, erected in 1923, with secondary plaques for subsequent conflicts.

MATERIALS: ashlar stone with bronze plaques, stone sets to the enclosure, and a quarry faced stone wall.

PLAN: a rectangular-plan war memorial, enclosed by a circular wall.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial takes the form of a tapering and stepped stylised cenotaph, about 3m (10 feet) high, mounted on a rectangular-plan five-stepped base, raised on a podium. A bronze plaque is attached to the south-east elevation, with lettering in relief, beneath a ribboned wreath and separated by crossed palm leafs, and underlined by two bars. The inscription reads: TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THE MEN / OF THIS VILLAGE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THE / HONOUR AND DEFENCE OF THEIR COUNTRY 1914 – 1918 / (19 NAMES). A second bronze plaque added to the plinth of the cenotaph to commemorate the fallen of the Second World War reads: 1939 - 1945 / THEY SHALL GROW NOT OLD / AS WE THAT ARE LEFT GROW OLD / (nine NAMES) / "WE WILL REMEMBER THEM", and a small bronze plaque attached to the face of the top (fifth) step reads : BASRA 2006 (NAME). A small flower border that acts as a field of remembrance is situated at the foot of the memorial, which stands within a circular enclosure, laid with concentric stone sets and bounded by a low stone wall; the enclosure wall has semi-round coping stones and an opening with a stone gate post to either side. The lengths of wall to either side of the gateway have interspersed square cut blocks set into the coping stones.

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 Pool-in-Wharfedale, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 19 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

On 22 June 1920, Mrs Emily Annie Swallow of Troutbeck gave Pool Parish Council a small parcel of land, situated between the Main Street and the churchyard of the listed Grade II Church of St Wilfrid, for the erection of a war memorial to commemorate the fallen of Pool-in-Wharfedale. Funds to cover the costs of building the memorial were raised by 150 villagers, who subscribed sums of between sixpence and £50 each. The memorial, with the names of the fallen recorded on a bronze plaque, cost £323 6s 1d, and was unveiled by Mrs Swallow at a public ceremony on 4 August 1923. Two further bronze plaques were subsequently added to the memorial, one to record the nine fallen of the Second World War and one from the Iraq War. The original gateway and posts to the surrounding enclosure has been removed, and the original gravel surface replaced by concrete stone sets. A memorial garden with a small lean-to shelter, is situated immediately north-west of the memorial.

Reasons for Listing

Pool-in-Wharfedale War Memorial, erected in 1923, 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 and C21.

Architectural interest:

* a well-executed and dignified memorial of good design, craftsmanship and materials, set within a walled enclosure.

Group value:

* it benefits from a spatial group value with the listed Grade II Church of St Wilfrid.

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.