Broughton in Amounderness War Memorial

First World War memorial of 1921, altered in 1948.

MATERIALS: built of buff sandstone with tablets of bronze and Westmorland slate.

PLAN: a cross on square steps, with an altar and reredos behind.

DESCRIPTION: facing east in a paved raised enclosure. The enclosure is surrounded by a stepped contemporaneous wall of random-coursed, rough-hewn stone with large copings, and approached by four steps set back within the retaining wall, with quadrant returns.

The cross stands approximately five metres tall and is a wheelhead cross pattee with bosses to each arm and in the centre. The upper arm has a moulded square capstone. The rectangular-section shaft tapers and stands on a chamfered foot. This in turn stands on a tapered plinth with shallow-chamfered top. The whole stands on a square, two-stepped base. Due to the durability of the stone the dressing marks and inscriptions are still very crisp. The front of the plinth has an inset bronze panel which is inscribed, in relief: THESE DIED FOR US followed by the nine names of the fallen, listed alphabetically by surname, with full names, dates of death, ranks and units all listed. In the top corners are Lancashire roses. The front of the upper step is inscribed: LEST WE FORGET. The other faces of the cross are all plainly dressed.

To the rear stands the altar, which is raised on a single step and has a two-stepped plinth and moulded capstone. The front face is inscribed: TRANQUIL . YOU . LIE . YOUR . KNIGHTLY . VIRTUE . PROVED/ YOUR . MEMORY . HALLOWED . IN . THE . LAND . YOU . LOVED/ 1914 – 1918 1939 – 1945.

The altar abuts a reredos of ashlar stone with moulded cornice, five arched niches and two flanking walls. The central niche contains a carved wheelhead cross, with incised inscription to either side, reading: IN HOC/ SIGNO VINCIT (‘through this sign you conquer’).

The flanking walls have recesses with scrolled tops, each containing a plaque of Westmorland slate. Each plaque has a Lancashire rose, and the names of the fallen carved in serifed lettering painted in gold (13 on the left plaque and 12 on the right). The names are listed alphabetically by surname, with the date of death below.