Unsworth War Memorial

First World War memorial of 1923 with additional names of the Second World War.

MATERIALS: pale cream stone.

PLAN: an octagonal cross on a stepped base.

DESCRIPTION: standing within a small green, enclosed on the two eastern sides by attractive earlier railings with a gateway. The octagonal base has two steps with a chamfered plinth to the lower step. Above this is a podium with a stepping, moulded plinth, moulded upper edge and flat top. On this stands the cross, with a moulded and chamfered foot. The tapering shaft is octagonal, as are the arms, which have pointed pommels like that which terminates the shaft. The whole echoes the form of a sword, and the front face (facing NW) is carved with a sword in relief, with a laurel wreath over the centre of the cross. Triangular projections fill each angle of the cross.

The inscriptions are on the podium and base, in well-crafted, serifed lettering. The front (NW) panel of the podium is inscribed: THIS CROSS/ WAS ERECTED BY THE/ PEOPLE OF UNSWORTH/ AS A TOKEN OF DEEP/ GRATITUDE TO THOSE WHO/ LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ - AD - / 1914-1918./ “GREATER LOVE HATH/ NO MAN THAN THIS.”

The inscription continues anti-clockwise, with the names of the Fallen, nine on some faces and eight on others, totalling 60, listed alphabetically by surname and without ranks. Beneath these panels, immediately above the top step of the base, the plinth of the podium is inscribed with the theatres of war, beginning with France under the dedication, and continuing anti-clockwise with Salonica, Mesopotamia, Italy, Egypt, Jutland, Gallipoli, and Belgium.

The central three risers of the top step of the base are inscribed with the names of the Fallen from the Second World War, starting to the left of the dedication, listed alphabetically and totalling eight. The central riser of the lower step of the base is inscribed with the dates 1939-1945.

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, 20 July 2017.