Cleadon War Memorial

The Cleadon War Memorial is located in a garden on Front Street, in front of the Grade II-listed Cleadon Tower. It commemorates those who died in the First World War and subsequent conflicts. The memorial consists of a large, roughly hewn boulder of Heworth stone raised on a rocky cairn. A wreath is carved in low relief on the front face of the boulder, below a South Welsh slate plaque with a carved border of oak leaves. The main inscription reads “IN HONOURED MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF CLEADON WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914 – 1919/ (14 NAMES)/ ALSO IN TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO SERVED/ (107 NAMES).”

The rocky cairn was originally round, encircling the boulder, but the front quadrant was cut away to accommodate a later addition for the Second World War. This addition is a rectangular stone altar with a sword carved in low relief on its upper surface. A South Welsh slate plaque on the altar’s front face reads “LET US ALSO REMEMBER/ THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE WAR/ 1939 – 1945/ (32 NAMES).”

At the foot of the altar stands a stone block shaped like an open book with metal plaques affixed to each page. The plaque on the left side commemorates “THOSE YOUNG/ MEN AND WOMEN/ FROM CLEADON/ COTTAGE HOMES/ WHO SERVED/ DURING THE/ WORLD WARS/ 1914-1919/ 1939-1945.” The plaque on the right displays a quote from Rudyard Kipling: “THEY THAT PUT/ ASIDE TODAY/ ALL THE JOYS/ OF THEIR TODAY/ AND WITH TOIL/ OF THEIR TODAY/ BOUGHT FOR US/ TOMORROW.”

The garden is enclosed by a chain supported on low posts. A flagpole stands to the rear of the memorial, but these features are not considered of special significance.