Accrington War Memorial

The Accrington War Memorial is a temple-like structure located at the highest point of Oak Hill Park, overlooking the town of Accrington. Built from finely-jointed sandstone ashlar, it features a wide podium with a projecting, pedimented center, from which a tall obelisk rises, square in plan.

At the rear of the podium, there is an inscription carved in relief within a rectangular cartouche that reads "THIS LAND INVIOLATE, THEIRS THE GLORY." The front displays the main dedicatory inscription, also in a cartouche, which states "TO THE HONOURED MEMORY OF THE MEN OF ACCRINGTON WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1919." Below this, on the stylobate, is the carving "THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVER MORE." The front faces of the podium wings are adorned with wreaths suspended from swags, also carved in relief.

The obelisk is flanked on either side by embedded fluted half-columns, topped with Bassae-type Ionic capitals that support altars of sacrifice, from which eternal flames blaze. In front of the memorial is a tall, free-standing female figure representing Compassion and Piety, holding a wreath and a palm leaf. Steps on each side of the plinth lead to a retaining wall that bears thirteen Westmoreland slate tablets, commemorating 865 names of those from the town who fell in the First World War.

In front of this, a separate pedimented stone wall displays four additional panels with 173 names from the Second World War, along with one name from Northern Ireland and two from the Falklands Campaign, reflecting the design of the main memorial. On the rear, beneath the pediment, the principal dedication reads "LET US REMEMBER THOSE WHO IN THEIR LIVES FOUGHT AND DIED FOR US," with "IN MEMORIAM 1939 – 45" inscribed on the front.