War Memorial, Bank Parade, Newry, Co Down, BT34

The Newry War Memorial is a well-proportioned and carefully executed memorial to the victims of both World Wars, and an important local landmark. Constructed sometime between 1920 and 1939, it is made of ashlar granite and stands on the river side of Bank Parade, near the Town Hall.

The memorial consists of a chamfered basal block surmounted by three slightly tapering blocks, topped by two smaller, instepping blocks, with a design reminiscent of Lutyens’ Cenotaph at Whitehall. The front of the third block from the bottom is inscribed “To our glorious/ dead”, repeated on all four faces. The block above features a carved wreath interwoven with ribbon, also on all four faces. The memorial is inscribed with the years “1914-1918/ 1939-1945” at the front and rests on a two-step granite plinth. It is enclosed by a modern steel railing with small ball finials to the uprights.

The memorial was originally designed by Major G.W. Reside and was initially sited in the middle of Trevor Hill, near the Northern Bank. It was erected in 1939, but was moved to its present position in the late 1960s to facilitate road widening for a dual carriageway along North Street. Railings were erected around the memorial in 1993. The Newry War Memorial Committee was formed in 1930 under the auspices of the British Legion, with funds raised through public subscription over the following decade. The memorial is located within a conservation area.