Summary

First World War memorial, 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.

Description

MATERIALS: stone, bronze plaques.

DESCRIPTION: Preesall War Memorial is located on The Mount (not designated), also known as Hakon’s Mound, an earthwork thought to be of some antiquity but possibly a mill-mound or garden feature. The Mount is on the west side of Lancaster Road, at the junction with Pilling Lane. The memorial takes the form of a tall cross on a tapering plinth that stands on a two-stepped base.

The inscriptions are on bronze plaques fixed to the plinth. The principal dedicatory inscription on the front face reads THIS CROSS IS ERECTED/ IN HONOUR AND REMEMBRANCE/ OF THE MEN OF PREESALL/ WHO FELL IN THE WARS/ 1914-1918 AND 1939-1945. Commemorated names are listed on the remaining three sides.

The memorial is approached from the east by a path and flight of stone steps. New (2014) handrails line the steps; the handrails are not of special interest.

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 2 February 2017.

History

Plans for a war memorial were underway in Spring 1919, when it was reported that Mr HC Elletson would provide a piece of land in a location suitable for the extended communities of Preesall and Knott End. A design by G Wallace Proffitt of Manchester, architect, was adopted and the builder, WL Cookson of Blackpool, was appointed.

Preesall and Knott End War Memorial was unveiled on 3 October 1920 by General Sir A Hunter MP.  It commemorates 33 local servicemen who died during the First World War; the names of six men who fell in the Second World War were added later. In 2014 a project was undertaken to improve access to the memorial with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.

Reasons for Listing

Preesall and Knott End War Memorial, which stands on The Mount, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: a simple yet elegant war memorial cross.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26678089

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

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  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
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  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
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  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)