Great Houghton War Memorial

The war memorial stands in a small garden across the road from the Grade II*-listed Church of St Mary the Virgin. The garden is at the west end of The Cross, an open space in the centre of the village which affords views of the memorial from all bar the northern side. The raised location, accessed from the road by six steps, is said to mark the position of a tree around which the commemorated First World War servicemen had played as young children.

The c6m tall sandstone memorial comprises a cross with a foliate wheel-head. This is set on a square-sectioned shaft, rising from a square plinth. That stands on a three-stage octagonal base. The inscriptions on the plinth are carved, now in parts heavily eroded.

(west face) IN MEMORY OF THE MEN/ OF GREAT HOUGHTON WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR/ THEIR COUNTRY IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914 –1919./ WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945.

(north face) (6 NAMES)

(west face) (6 NAMES)

Around the base of the plinth is inscribed GREATER LOVE HATH NO/ [largely illegible MAN THAN THIS THAT/ A MAN LAY DOWN HIS/] LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 17 January 2017.