North Boundary Wall And Steps, North West Gate And Piers, War Memorial And East Bar Stone

NORTH BOUNDARY WALL AND STEPS, NORTH WEST GATE AND PIERS, WAR MEMORIAL AND EAST BAR STONE, KIRKGATE, LEEDS

This boundary wall and associated features form the northern and western enclosure of St Peter Kirkgate churchyard in the centre of Leeds. The ensemble comprises a squared gritstone ashlar boundary wall approximately 110 metres long and 1 metre high, constructed in 2 to 4 courses with triangular coping featuring seatings for a missing railing. The wall dates from after 1841.

At the north-west gateway stand two gate piers with chamfered plinths, panelled sides, and cornices decorated with quatrefoil panels, topped by two-tier pyramidal caps. The north entrance to the church is marked by wide shallow steps flanked by low wall frontage, with massive single-block piers capped by octagonal moulded capitals.

Built into the wall to the east of the war memorial is the East Bar Stone, a chamfered block bearing the deeply-cut lettering "EAST BAR" with the first word in Italic and strong serifs throughout. This stone marks the line of a gateway on the old town boundary and is possibly from the early 19th century, though reset in its current position.

The war memorial, unveiled on 13 November 1921 by Captain G Sanders VC MC, is a Portland stone War Cross designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens OM RA. Set within a break in the churchyard wall facing the street, the memorial accommodates a stone bench beneath the cross that serves as a ledge for wreaths, taking advantage of the fall in levels. Elaborate iron railings with arrow-head finials to the bars flank the cross. The cross bears bronze regimental badges above and below the main inscription.

The inscriptions record the 7th and 8th Battalions West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own Leeds Rifles), the 45th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion Royal Tank Regiment, and the 66th (Leeds Rifles) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery. An additional inscription on the wall lists the regiments and their service during both 1914-1918 and 1939-1945.