Aldridge War Memorial

The Aldridge War Memorial was erected in 1919 and relocated to its current position in 1956, when a surrounding flower garden was created. The memorial is constructed of stone.

It is a freestanding Celtic Cross situated within a raised garden, enclosed on three sides by stone flower beds built with five courses of stone plus coping stones. Square stone planters are integrated into the four corners of the walls. Two steps lead to a central opening in the north-west wall, while a south-east entrance has two steel handrails set into the ground, spanning two shallow steps up to the memorial. A paved area extends beyond the flower bed walls to form a rectangular space, incorporating a grass cross edged in engineering brick to the south-east.

The memorial has a square plan with a rubble plinth and an ashlar base and cross shaft. The base is divided into two sections: a lower block with a gently curved top connects to a narrower, taller upper block featuring carved mouldings, including a central pediment design forming an informal entablature below the plain cross shaft. The north-west face of the cross features carved knot emblems emanating from a central hemisphere.

The main (north-west) face of the shaft is inscribed with the words: “TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN THE MEMORY OF THE/ ALDRIDGE MEN/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR/ HONOUR AND FREEDOM/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ “BE THOU FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH/ AND I WILL GIVE THEE A CROWN OF LIFE”. The rear (south-east) of the shaft bears the inscription: “AND/ IN MEMORY OF THOSE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE/ SECOND WORLD WAR/ 1939-1945”. The front and left faces of the plinth list the names of those who died in the First World War, while the rear and right faces list those who died in the Second World War; the inscriptions are in lead.

Two stone flower pots are located next to the memorial. A freestanding stone, bearing a bronze plaque, is set on the outside of the north-east wall. This plaque commemorates Captain Charles George Bonner (“Gus”), awarded a Victoria Cross for gallantry in action with an enemy submarine aboard HMS Dunraven in August 1917, and notes his dates of birth and death (1884-1951). The steel handrails and paving are not considered to be elements of special architectural or historic interest.