Summary

War memorial. Erected c. 1920.

Description

The war memorial stands at the top of Lythe Bank within the churchyard of the church of St Oswald (Grade I) against the south side of the west tower. It comprises a 3m high octagonal limestone shaft supporting a heavily stylised four-sided lantern head depicting Christ crucified. Beneath are symbols of the Passion.The limestone plinth is cuboid with chamfered top edge. This stands on a simple, low, two-stage base. The plinth carries the incised inscription (first face) TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN GRATEFUL/ MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR KING AND/ COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918/ (second face) (names)/ ALSO SEVEN UNKNOWN SAILORS BURIED AT LYTHE 1914-1918/ UNTO GOD'S GRACIOUS MERCY WE COMMIT/ THEM. THE LORD BLESS THEM AND KEEP THEM./ THE LORD LIFT UP THE LIGHT OF HIS COUNT/ENANCE UPON THEM AND GIVE THEM PEACE/ BOTH NOW AND FOR EVERMORE AMEN. (third face) REMEMBER THEM O GOD AND/ BRING THEM UNTO GLORY THROUGH THE/ SUFFERING AND DEATH OF THE CAPTAIN OF OUR SALVATION.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw a huge wave of public commemoration with tens of thousands of memorials erected in England. One such memorial was erected in c1920 to commemorate those from the parish of Lythe who fell in the First World War, and also seven bodies recovered from the sea.

Reasons for Listing

Lythe War Memorial, which stands within the churchyard of the church of St Oswald, is listed at Grade II for the following reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Design: a limestone shaft supporting a heavily stylised four-sided lantern head depicting Christ crucified;
* Group value: with the Grade I listed church of St Oswald.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26677620

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)