Bacup War Memorial

The Bacup War Memorial is a First World War memorial built in 1928. A later inscription commemorates those who died in the Second World War. It is located in a memorial garden opposite the Grade II listed Church of St John the Evangelist.

The memorial is constructed from ashlar sandstone and stands approximately 5.5 metres high. It takes the form of a cenotaph positioned on a stone dais with two receding circular steps leading to a surface of rounded stones. The cenotaph itself is rectangular in plan and consists of a tall, rectangular shaft with canted surfaces rising from a pedestal with shouldered and moulded upper surfaces, and a slightly projecting plinth set on a rectangular ashlar base. The front (north-west) and rear (south-east) faces of the shaft have slightly raised panels with an indented lower edge, beneath a plain frieze featuring carved numerals 1914 – 1918. The front panel reads "TO OUR / GLORIOUS / DEAD / TELL YE / YOUR / CHILDREN.” The rear panel reads “IN HONOURED / MEMORY / OF THE MEN OF / BACUP / WHO FELL IN THE / GREAT WAR / THEY DIED THAT WE / MIGHT LIVE IN PEACE.” The north-east recessed end panel is plain, while the south-west panel is inscribed with 1939 / IN / HONOURED / MEMORY / OF THOSE / WHO FELL/ IN THE / WORLD WAR / 1945.

The upper section of the shaft features a narrower pedestal with a plain plinth and a roll-moulded abacus. The front and rear faces have the Bacup town crest carved in relief, set within a laurel wreath, the ribbon ends of which are recessed into the plinth. The ends have projecting panels with a bound bay leaf garland and a draped margent. Atop the upper pedestal sits a chest tomb with a moulded cover and recessed corners, set on a two-staged base. The lower stage has carved square block corners with recessed round shields, separated by stylised fasces, while the front and rear faces have a central square block featuring a carved stag—representing peace and harmony—set between a pair of fasces.