Carham War Memorial

1407/0/10007

CARHAM EAST LEARMOUTH Carham War Memorial

12-FEB-07

II First World War Memorial with Second World War additions. Constructed of granite and red sandstone with bronze decoration.

The memorial takes the form of a 4 metre tall Latin cross with a bronze wreath in relief at the crossing. The slightly tapering cross shaft surmounts two sloping plinths placed on a stepped base. The main inscription on front of plinth reads CARHAM PARISH/IN MEMORY OF THOSE/WHO FELL/IN THE GREAT WAR/1914-1918/'LET IT BE TOLD AT SPARTA THAT WE REMAIN AT OUR POSTS'

Names of the 17 fallen are recorded on the right and left faces of the plinth.

The inscription on rear of plinth reads 1939-1945/(NAMES).

SOURCES: UK National Inventory of War Memorials Ref: 33386 North East War Memorials Project Ref WMSC8.02

HISTORY: This war memorial was erected by public subscription and unveiled on 19th September 1920 by Earl Grey, who considered the plain form of the monument denoted the Border character. An account of the unveiling is published in The Alnwick and County Gazette October 1920 and Newcastle Daily News in September 1920. The inscription is attributed in Herodotus to Simonides (556-468 BC). The quotation in Histories Book VII CH. 228 is actually 'Go tell the Spartans, thou who passest by, That here, obedient to their laws we lie'. The names of those who fell during the Second World War have been added.

War memorials have a very strong historical and cultural significance on both a local and national scale. Erected in 1921, this example in the form of a simple Latin Cross, is a good example of a memorial dedicated to the dead of the First World War. It has clear special historic interest and therefore fully meets the criteria for listing in a national context.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 9 February 2017.