War Memorial

The war memorial at Tweedmouth commemorates the First World War, with later additions for the Second World War and the Falkland's War. Constructed in granite, it takes the form of a kneeling female figure positioned on a tall, rusticated stone pedestal, which itself stands upon a five-stepped base. The figure is sculpted in a thoughtful pose, with closed eyes and a bowed head, her head resting on the left hand and a floral wreath held in the right. The memorial records the names of 117 men of Tweedmouth who fell in the Great War, three who died in the Second World War, and a single serviceman who perished in the Falkland's War. An inscription on the front reads “IN EVER GRATEFUL AND PROUD REMEMBRANCE OF THE BRAVE MEN OF TWEEDMOUTH WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 18. AND THE MEN AND WOMEN OF TWEEDMOUTH WHO LOST THIER LIVES IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR. 'THEY WERE A WALL UNTO US BOTH BY NIGHT AND DAY' 2ND ENGINEERING OFFICER PAUL A. HENRY, G.M. 8TH JUNE 1982 ABOARD RFA SIR GALAHAD AT BLUFF COVE FALKLAND ISLANDS. ERECTED BY THE INHABITANTS OF TWEEDMOUTH AND OTHER FRIENDS.” The years 1914-1919 and 1939-1945 are carved in half relief beneath the inscription. A further inscription on the step of the pedestal reads “TO THE MEMORY OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF TWEEDMOUTH WHO HAVE FALLEN SINCE 1945.” The names of the fallen are carved within recessed panels on the sides and rear of the pedestal. The memorial was commissioned by the inhabitants of Tweedmouth and built with public funds. The quotation used in the inscription is from 1 Samuel XXV 15, 16. Historic photographs show the memorial’s unveiling in the 1920s and a subsequent visit by the Prince of Wales in 1928. The memorial is designated at Grade II for its eloquent witness to tragic world events, its strong cultural and historical significance, and its imposing and dignified contribution to the town’s street scene.