Summary

First World War memorial, 1920.

Description

The memorial is located to the south of St Giles’ Church, Rowley Regis. It takes the form of a stone wheel-head cross with a tapering shaft. A reversed sword is carved in low relief on the front face. The cross-shaft stands on a tapering plinth. That stands on a base of two rectangular stone steps, raised on a rectangular paved slab.

The southern face of the plinth bears the principal dedicatory inscription incised in the stone, reading THE/ GLORIOUS/ DEAD/ 1914 – 1918. Below this, on the top step, is carved THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE. Following the memorial's restoration the names of the fallen are commemorated on the paved slab area around the base of the memorial.

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, 18 January 2017.

History

The war memorial at St Giles’ Church, sculpted by Joseph H Willetts, was unveiled on 4 September 1920. The ceremony was attended by the Archdeacon of Birmingham and Brigadier General WR Ludlow CB. It commemorates 99 local servicemen who died during the First World War. The memorial was re-dedicated in 2014 to mark the centenary of the start of that conflict, following restoration.

Reasons for Listing

The war memorial standing to the south of St Giles’ Church, Rowley Regis, is listed at Grade II for the following principal 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 First World War;
* Architectural interest: a well-proportioned and imposing memorial cross;
* Degree of survival: unusually, the memorial has not been adapted for Second World War commemoration, and thus retains its original design intent.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26678148

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.

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