Accrington War Memorial

The temple-like war memorial stands at the highest point of Oak Hill Park, overlooking Accrington. In fine-jointed sandstone ashlar, it comprises a wide podium with a projecting, pedimented, centre from which rises a tall obelisk, square on plan.

To the rear of the podium an inscription carved in relief within a rectangular cartouch reads THIS LAND INVIOLATE,/ THEIRS THE GLORY. To the front the principal dedicatory inscription, in a similar cartouch, reads 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 carved THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVER MORE. he front face of the podium wings are decorated with wreaths suspended from swags, carved in relief.

The obelisk is flanked to left and right by embedded fluted half-columns, with Bassae-type Ionic capitals supporting altars of sacrifice from which blaze eternal flames. To the front, overlooking the park, is a tall free-standing female figure representing Compassion and Piety, holding a wreath and palm leaf. Steps on each side in front of the plinth lead to a retaining wall bearing thirteen Westmoreland slate tablets, on which are commemorated 865 names of those from the town who fell in the First World War.

A separate pedimented stone wall in front bearing four more panels with 173 names from the Second World War, and with one name from Northern Ireland and two from the Falklands Campaign added, reflects the form of the main memorial. On the rear, underneath the pediment, the principal dedication reads LET US REMEMBER THOSE/ WHO IN THEIR LIVES/ FOUGHT AND DIED/ FOR US with, to the front, IN MEMORIAM/ 1939 – 45.

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, 2 February 2017.