Bollington War Memorial

The Bollington War Memorial was erected in 1920 to commemorate the First World War, with later additions for the Second World War. The designer and sculptor are unknown.

The memorial is constructed of local red and buff sandstone and stands within its own war memorial garden at a prominent road junction. It takes the form of a Celtic cross set on a tapering, rectangular plinth which is raised on five steps. The cross has a tall wheel-head design with Celtic tracery covering the shaft. Carved figures of the patron saints of the home nations are present on the cross arms, and the cross head is adorned with a carved tiled roof. A stone sculpture of a laurel wreath rests on the top step. The upper two steps are of red sandstone matching the cross, with the lower three steps of buff sandstone. The red sandstone shows signs of wear due to its softness, possibly exacerbated by past cleaning.

The main inscription on the front of the plinth reads: “THEY WHOM THIS MEMORIAL / COMMEMORATES WERE NUMBERED / AMONG THOSE WHO AT THE / CALL OF KING AND COUNTRY / LEFT ALL THAT WAS DEAR TO / THEM ENDURED HARDNESS FACED / DANGER AND FINALLY PASSED OUT / OF THE SIGHT OF MEN BY THE PATH / OF DUTY AND SELF SACRIFICE GIVING / UP THEIR OWN LIVES THAT OTHERS / MIGHT LIVE IN FREEDOM LET THOSE / WHO CAME AFTER SEE TO IT THAT / THEIR NAMES BE NOT FORGOTTEN.” Above the inscription, the chamfer at the top of the plinth is inscribed ‘1914 - 1919 + 1939 – 1945’. The other three sides of the plinth's chamfer bear the names of those who fell in the Second World War, with the dates of that conflict inscribed above them. Above these are panels containing the names of the fallen of the First World War, with the dates of that conflict inscribed above them. The top face of the second step is inscribed: “THIS MEMORIAL WAS UNVEILED AND DEDICATED / ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 28TH 1920”.