Cullingworth War Memorial

First World War memorial, 1924, with Second World War additions.

MATERIALS: ashlar limestone monument, brick dwarf walls, with ashlar and concrete copings and kerb stones, cast-iron railings, and brick dais with kerb stones.

PLAN: square-plan monument

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial stands at the centre of the village, set within a sub-rectangular memorial garden. It stands on a brick-built, rectangular dais that forms a raised terrace, due to the ground falling away to the north-east, and as a consequence, the northern path approaches the dais by a flight of steps. The memorial takes the form of a slightly tapering classical-style stone shaft, with an architrave, a frieze with a dentil band, and a projecting moulded cornice supported by plain mutules. It rises from a two-stepped base that has stone wreath-rests on the top step resting against the square plinth. The west frieze displays a laurel wreath flanked by flags lowered in salute that are carved in relief. Each elevation of the shaft has a rectangular stone tablet set within a recessed moulded frame. The tablet on the west elevation bears an incised dedication that reads: ERECTED/ IN GRATEFUL/ MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF/ CULLINGWORTH/ WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR/ COUNTRY/ 1914 – 1918/ AFTER WAR PEACE, with the names of the 47 fallen from the First World War incised on the tablets within the remaining three elevations. The names of the nine fallen from the Second World War have been added to the east tablet, beneath an inscription that reads: THE/ SECOND GREAT WAR/ 1939 - 1945.

The main west entrance to the garden has ashlar steps, flanked by substantial, classical-style rectangular gate piers that echo the style of the memorial. Subsidiary open gateways flanked by conical ashlar posts, are situated at the north-east and south-east corners of the garden and provide access to paths lined by raised kerb stones laid on brick, with staggered seating bays. Dwarf walls with coping stones enclose the garden: those on the north, west, and south sides support two-bar railings carried by decorative cast-iron posts, and conical ashlar posts, while the eastern boundary is defined by a hedge against the inner face of the dwarf wall.