Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1921, formerly on Denton Road now standing outside St Margaret’s Church.

Description

First World War memorial, unveiled 1921.

The Creetown granite memorial, c2m tall, stands alongside St Margaret’s Church (not listed), overlooking Armstrong Road. It takes the form of a Celtic cross. The front face of the wheel-head and upper part of the cross shaft are decorated with carved interlace patterns, and a hemispherical boss at the centre of the cross arms. The cross shaft rises from a tapering pedestal, which stands on a two-stepped base.

The principal dedicatory inscription recorded on the lower part of the cross shaft reads IN/ GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF THOSE MEN/ WHO WENT OUT FROM/ THIS LOCALITY, TO FIGHT/ AND FELL IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ FOR RIGHT AND FREEDOM / 1914-1918/ IN THAT WHILE WE WERE/ IN PERIL/ THEY DIED FOR US. The commemorated names are recorded on the faces of the pedestal and the risers of the uppermost step.

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, 23 November 2017.

History

The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also the official policy of not repatriating the dead: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Scotswood as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial was unveiled at an ecumenical ceremony on 28 March 1921 by the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor TW Rowe. It commemorates 79 local servicemen who died during the First World War. Provided by Messrs Alexander and Son, sculptors of Elswick Road, Newcastle, it cost £155. The memorial stood at the junction of Denton Road and Fowberry Road, but was moved c250m to the north to stand beside St Margaret’s Church (not listed) following re-development of the original site.

Reasons for Listing

Scotswood War Memorial, which stands alongside St Margaret’s Church of Armstrong Road, 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 First World War;
* Architectural interest: a richly ornamented memorial cross in the Celtic style, decorated with carved interlace patterns.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478167

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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  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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