Mirfield war memorial

First World War memorial, 1921, by Hicks and Charlewood, with the names of those killed during the Second World War added later. Carved limestone cross with a red-brick and sandstone commemorative curved screen wall to the rear

Mirfield war memorial is located in the NE corner of Ings Grove Park and is in the style of an Anglo-Saxon high cross. The cross has a tapered shaft and incorporates richly carved decoration to the front and sides; that to the front depicts a stylised tree of life with animals and birds, and knot work to the head of the cross (the knot work is also incorporated to the rear face of the cross head, but the shaft is undecorated), whilst the decoration to the sides depicts knot work. The cross has a rectangular base with shaped sides. The base's front (SW) face bears the inscription: 'IN GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF/ THE MEN OF MIRFIELD/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE/ SERVICE OF THEIR KING & COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1919/ AND THE WORLD WAR 1939 - 1945'. The rear (NE) face bears the inscription: 'RE-DEDICATED IN GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF ALL THOSE/ WHO HAVE FALLEN OR SUFFERED/ IN THE/ SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY/ SINCE 1945/ 26 JUNE 2010'.

Set apart from the cross to the NE is a tall curved screen wall constructed of mellow red brick with sandstone dressings. The wall is topped by sandstone copings and incorporates four rusticated piers with sandstone bases and shaped caps that have lost their finials. A series of eight blind windows with brick lintels and sandstone sills line the wall's front (SW) face, with each containing a bronze plaque recording the names of those killed during the two world wars; the three outer plaques on each side record the names of those killed in the First World War, and the two central plaques record the names of those killed in the Second World War. Originally the wall just comprised two detached curved wing walls flanked by the piers and incorporating six blind windows and plaques, but following the end of the Second World War the open central section was infilled with brickwork in the same style to connect the two sections of walling and enable the addition of two further blind windows and bronze plaques recording the names of those killed during the Second World War. The rear of the wall is plain apart from the rusticated piers.

The garden area surrounding the war memorial has been altered. Historic photographs show that the memorial was originally surrounded by a mixture of paving, planted areas, raised beds and hedging, set upon stepped terraces, but the area is now one of hard landscaping with additional paving laid down, some ground levels raised, and areas of tarmac added for easier access.

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, 22 February 2017.