Cowshill War Memorial

The memorial stands in a small stone-walled enclosure on the north side of the B6295, overlooking Weardale and with extensive views of the surrounding moorland. At c410m above sea level it is said to be the highest, and perhaps most isolated, war memorial in County Durham.

The stone memorial takes the form of the Iona cross. The front face of the cross head is ornamented with an interlace pattern carved in low relief. Below on the cross shaft is carved 1914/ LEST/ WE/ FORGET/ 1918, interspersed with decorative flowers. The cross shaft rises from a rough-hewn plinth that stands on a low square step.

The front face of the plinth bears the principal dedicatory inscription IN HONOUR/ OF THE MEN OF/ THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ (7 NAMES). To the left of the text a sheathed sword, encircled by a wreath and appearing to be hung up over the plinth by the sword belt, is carved in low relief. In front of the low step a small rectangular stone is inscribed 1939 – 1945/ (3 NAMES).

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, 7 February 2017.