Kerridge War Memorial

A First World War memorial of 1919 with additional names of the Second World War, by local mason JJ Broster.

MATERIALS: built of local yellow Kerridge sandstone, a durable material.

PLAN: the memorial stands on two lighter coloured square stone steps*, and above this comprises an original square stone step, with a stepped tapering plinth and tapering square cross patonce.

DESCRIPTION: standing within its own dedicated memorial garden, enclosed by a contemporaneous wall of regularly-coursed rough-hewn stone. Modern steel gates enclose a small flagged forecourt with two stone steps up to the garden. Due to the durability of the stone the carving of the memorial is still very crisp. The tapering plinth has a chamfered step and chamfered corners, and a raised panel to each face, with hollow-angled corners. The front panel is inscribed:

TO THE HONOUR AND/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN LOVING MEMORY/ OF THE BRAVE KERRIDGE/ MEN WHO LAID DOWN THEIR/ LIVES FOR THEIR KING AND/ COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1919.

Below this are listed eight names of fallen officers and non-commissioned officers, in descending order of rank and alphabetically. The names of twenty-one Privates are listed on the left and right returns, by regiment and alphabetically. Below the front panel is a relief carving of the dove of peace surrounded by a laurel wreath. Above the panels is a carved nail-head frieze. Above this on the front is the word VICTORY. The cross shaft has chamfered corners and relief carvings of a crossed rifle and sword, with a crown in the centre of the cross head. The names of the nine Fallen from the Second World War are listed below those of the First World War on the left and right returns, headed by the inscription on each return:

ALSO THE MEN WHO LAID DOWN/ THEIR LIVES IN 1939-1945.

The sculptor’s name and the date 1919 are included on the left return.

*Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that the aforementioned items are not of special architectural or historic interest.

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, 26 January 2017.