Cenotaph, opp 25 William Street, Cookstown, Co Tyrone

This is a 20th-century granite cenotaph, erected around 1922, serving as a memorial to those who died in the 1914-1918 First World War. Its prominent location in the centre of William Street emphasizes its importance in the social history of Cookstown and Northern Ireland. The design is closely modeled on the Whitehall Cenotaph in London, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

The cenotaph is a monolithic granite structure set on a raised plinth. It has a cut-granite base with carved cornicing to the first tier. The second tier is the largest and features four wrought-iron lamps, two to the West and two to the East. Slate commemorative plaques are positioned to the North, East, and West, each surrounded by splayed stone. The North plaque is inscribed ‘1939 – 1945’ with a list of names below, while the East and West plaques read ‘IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE MEN FROM COOKSTOWN AND DISTRICTS WHO IN THE GREAT WAR GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR FREEDOM’, accompanied by a list of names. The south face of the cenotaph is inscribed ‘OUR GLORIOUS DEAD’ in raised lettering. A carved stone wreath adorns the North and South faces of the third tier. The fourth tier depicts ‘1914’ to the South and ‘1918’ to the North in raised lettering. The fifth upper tier culminates in a moulded granite cap.

The cenotaph stands within the centre of William Street. The street predominantly comprises two- and three-storey Victorian buildings, typical of Cookstown’s commercial district. Valuation plans from 1936-37 show the memorial in its location.