War Memorial

1112-1/0/10069 CHURCH LANE 11-FEB-08 BISHOPTHORPE WAR MEMORIAL

(Formerly listed as: CHURCH LANE BISHOPTHORPE WAR MEMORIAL)

II

War Memorial, 1921, designed by Brierley and Rutherford, in Portland stone.

The memorial takes the form of a floriated cross head surmounting a tapering stone column, approximately 2 metres high, standing on a tapered stone plinth. The base below has two steps and the whole stands in a small enclosure in the corner of the churchyard of the church of St Andrew, opposite the entrance to the Archbishop's Palace. Near the base of the column is a cusped niche with crocketed finials, containing a carved stone statuette of St George and the Dragon. The plinth bears an inscription on the front face reading: IN MEMORY OF/ (14 NAMES)/ MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1919/ LET THESE MEN BE HERE REMEMBERED IN THANKFULNESS & HONOUR. The inscription on the west face reads: (10 NAMES)/ WHO ALSO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE/ RENEWED FIGHT FOR FREEDOM/ 1939-1945. The names and the last part of the inscription were added after the Second World War. On the east face an inscription reads: WE PRAY THEE HELP THY/ SERVANTS WHOM THOU/ HAST REDEEMED WITH/ THY PRECIOUS BLOOD.

HISTORY: The Memorial was unveiled by the Archbishop of York on 22nd May 1921. Walter Brierley was a well known architect in a York firm and a number of his buildings are designated including several schools and County Hall at Northallerton. In 1921 he was nearing the end of his life. Rutherford was also a local architect, though not a partner in the Brierley firm.

Reasons for Designation Bishopthorpe War Memorial is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * It forms a poignant reminder of the effects of tragic world events on this local community * It is a well designed monument by a well known architect, Walter Brierley * It is made of high quality materials, executed with excellent craftsmanship * It has group value with the adjacent church, Archbishop's Palace and other designated buildings * Its proximity to and historic association with the Archbishop of York's Palace gives it added significance. SE5955647807

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, 1 February 2017.