Crich Stand (Sherwood Foresters Regimental Memorial)

Crich Stand (Sherwood Foresters Regimental Memorial)

War memorial erected in 1922–23 to the design of Lieutenant Colonel Brewill by Joseph Payne of Crich, with iron railings and gate added in 1929. Additional commemorative plaques were added in 1952 and 1991 to mark those who died in the Second World War and subsequent conflicts.

The memorial stands on the summit of Crich Hill, Derbyshire, commanding extensive views over the surrounding countryside. It comprises a circular tower built of coursed and squared Derbyshire Gritstone with ashlar dressings, rising from a battered square platform of rock-faced sandstone. The platform has massive flat copings supporting wrought-iron enclosure railings and an entrance gateway, which is approached by stone steps at the south side.

The tower doorway is set within a massive ashlar surround formed from heavy stone jambs with a deep lintel and pediment bearing a bronze wreath. Above the doorway are the regimental insignia of the Sherwood Foresters and the dates in bronze lettering: 1914–18 / 1939–1945. Higher still on the south face of the tower is a Latin cross with a sword set into its face. The lintel over the doorway contains an incised inscription reading: "TO THE MEMORY OF 11409 MEN OF ALL RANKS OF THE SHERWOOD FORESTERS (NOTTINGHAMSHIRE AND DERBYSHIRE REGIMENT) WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR KING AND FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914–1919 AND IN HONOUR OF 140000 OF THEIR COMRADES WHO SERVED DURING THE WAR IN THIRTY TWO BATTALIONS OF THE REGIMENT THIS MONUMENT IS GRATEFULLY ERECTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTIES OF NOTTINGHAM AND DERBY. TO REMIND US OF THEIR SACRIFICE AND OUR DUTY."

At the top of the tower is an open arcaded lantern with fluted Doric columns, a circular stone frieze and cornice beneath an ashlar dome and flaming finial. This lantern serves as an open viewing gallery, accessed by an internal spiral staircase, and contains a powerful electric beacon lamp illuminated at night and visible from a considerable distance.

A cast bronze commemorative plaque added in 1952 to the left of the main gateway bears the inscription: "TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN HONOURED MEMORY OF THE 1520 SHERWOOD FORESTERS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE WAR OF 1939–1945 & IN HONOUR OF THEIR COMRADES WHO SERVED IN THE 13 UNITS OF THE REGIMENT." To the right of this is a plaque bearing the regimental badges.

Three further bronze panels flank the tower door; two to the left and one to the right. The upper left panel is inscribed: "THIS MEMORIAL TOWER IS ALSO DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE OF THE SHERWOOD FORESTERS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY FROM 1945 TO 1970." The lower left panel reads: "THIS MEMORIAL TOWER IS FURTHER DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE MEMBERS OF THE MERCIAN REGIMENT WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY SINCE THE FORMATION OF THE REGIMENT IN 2007."

The right-hand panel is inscribed: "THIS MEMORIAL TOWER IS ALSO DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE OF THE WORCESTERSHIRE AND SHERWOOD FORESTERS REGIMENT WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY SINCE THE FORMATION OF THE REGIMENT ON 28 FEBRUARY 1970."