Lower Crumpsall War Memorial Outside St Thomas With St Mark'S Church

698-1/0/11223 HAZELBOTTOM ROAD 30-APR-10 LOWER CRUMPSALL (West side) LOWER CRUMPSALL WAR MEMORIAL OUTSIDE S T THOMAS WITH ST MARK'S CHURCH

II WWI war memorial, probably 1920s, red sandstone, square column formed of separate blocks with raked base, carved gableted top surmounted by a foliate cross.

War memorial stands within churchyard to south-east of St Thomas with St Mark's Church and is aligned with centre of church's east (actual south-east) window. Memorial is set upon a two-stepped square stone plinth. Column base has replaced stonework to three of its four corners. Main dedication inscription in stylised lettering to central raised panel to south-east face of column facing Hazelbottom Road reads 'TO THE GLORY/OF GOD AND/IN MEMORY OF THE/SOLDIERS AND SAILORS/CONNECTED WITH/THE PARISH OF/LOWER CRUMPSALL/WHO NOBLY LAID/DOWN THEIR LIVES/WHILST SERVING/THEIR KING AND/COUNTRY/1914-1918/THIS MONUMENT WAS/ERECTED BY PUBLIC/SUBSCRIPTION.' Inscribed quotation below reads "DEATH IS SWALLOWED/UP IN VICTORY". 94 names of men of the parish who died during the First World War inscribed to panels to the three remaining column faces. Both gablets to top of north-west and south-east faces contain carved cusped detailing and carved shields to their centre depicting relief imagery; that to south-east side depicts a descending dove symbolising the Holy Spirit, that to north-west side depicts a plough and sickle symbolising the passage of life and death.

HISTORY: The Lower Crumpsall war memorial commemorates men of the parish who were lost during the First World War. It was erected by public subscription and is believed to have been constructed at some point after the end of the war (probably in the 1920s).

The war memorial underwent cleaning and renovation works in 2007/8 following a grant from the English Heritage/Wolfson Foundation Grants for War Memorials scheme.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: Lower Crumpsall war memorial is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

• Historic Interest: It has strong cultural and historic significance within both a local and national context and it forms a poignant reminder of the effects of tragic world events on this local community
• Design Interest: It has a simple yet elegant design incorporating carved stonework, symbolic imagery and stylised lettering

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, 30 January 2017.