Great Harwood War Memorial

A First World War memorial of 1926, by Messrs William Kirkpatrick, with later additions.

MATERIALS: Creetown granite, lead lettering.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial takes the form of a large granite obelisk set on a plinth, square on plan, on a three-stepped base. The obelisk is square and tapering and has three main stages. The upper stage has a pyramidal cap and three stepped courses. The stage below steps in slightly, so that the bottom course of the upper stage is a projecting band. This forms the arms of a cross with a raised central shaft on each face of the obelisk, and also with the angles between these shafts. The bottom stage steps out flush with the shafts of the crosses. This stage bears inscriptions. On the east face, in Gothic lettering carved in relief, this reads TO OUR/ GLORIOUS/ DEAD/ 1914 1918/ AND/ 1939 1945. The south face has lettering affixed, with the dates of the Second World War followed by the names of the 55 Fallen from that conflict. The west face also has metal letters reading MALAYA/ 1948-1960/ (NAME)/ KOREA 1950-1953/ (NAME)/ FALKLANDS CAMPAIGN 1982/ (NAME).

At its base this stage splays slightly to a band carved with stylised laurel leaves, with roundels in the centre of each face and on each corner, containing the Lancashire rose. Below this the wider foot of the obelisk is treated as an entablature with stepped cornice and cavetto-moulded architrave. A relief inscription around the frieze reads AT THE GOING DOWN/ OF THE SUN AND IN/ THE MORNING WE WILL/ REMEMBER THEM.

The plinth batters slightly and has a splayed base. The east face has applied lettering which reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THE MEN FROM/ THIS TOWN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR, AS A THANK OFFERING FOR THOSE/ WHO SERVED IN THE WAR AND HAVE BEEN RESTORED TO/ THEIR HOMES, AND AS A PERPETUAL REMINDER OF FOUR/ YEARS OF GREAT ANXIETY AND SORROW WHICH WE/ SHARED TOGETHER AND OF THE GLORIOUS VICTORY WHICH/ BY THE MERCY OF GOD FINALLY CROWNED OUR ARMS. The names of the 371 fallen from the First World War are recorded on the remaining faces of the plinth.

Below this the base has a tall upper step and two shallower steps, the bottom step with a projecting nosing.