War Memorial, St Oswald'S Churchyard

1150/0/10005 21-AUG-07

MALPAS CHURCH STREET

War Memorial, St Oswald's Churchyard

II

First and Second World Wars war memorial, 1920, red sandstone. Octagonal column on octagonal base and plinth surmounted by lantern containing carved figures.

Wide stepped octagonal plinth. Octagonal base with metal plaques to each face inscribed with names of men of parish who died during both World Wars. Plaque to front of base reads 'TO THE/ HONOURED MEMORY OF/ THE MEN WHO DIED/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WARS/ 1914-1918/ 1939-1945/ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE/ ECCLUS.XLIV.14'. Five plaques commemorate those who died during WWI (58 names), inscription to top of plaques reads '1914 - 18'. Two plaques commemorate those who died during WWII (19 names), inscription to top of plaques reads '1939 - 45'. Octagonal column with elaborate 4-sided gableted lantern with diagonal buttresses, crocketed decoration and surmounted by cross finial. Shallow niches to each side of lantern contain carved figures. Female figure possibly representing Peace/Victory to front, WWI soldier to right, soldier in armour to rear, knight to left. All figures with bowed heads in symbolic remembrance of those lost.

HISTORY: A meeting was held on 5 May 1919 and led by the local Rector, chair of the Parish Council, to decide what type of memorial to erect to those of the parish who had lost their lives during WWI. It was agreed that the memorial should be erected in the churchyard and funding was raised by public subscription. The design and construction was carried out by Messrs Henry A Clegg & Sons and the memorial was unveiled in a ceremony led by the Bishop of Chester on 20 February 1920.

SUMMARY OF IMPORTANCE: Intricately carved cross war memorial dating to 1920 and commemorating the men of Malpas who lost their lives during the First and Second World Wars (name plaques for the latter were added later) with money raised by public subscription. With a decorative lantern incorporating carved figures representing peace/victory and those lost in combat during various periods of British warfare history, the war memorial is an interesting and prominent architectural and historic feature within the churchyard of St Oswald's Church and the wider village, and represents considerable special historic interest.

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 26 January 2017.