Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1920, with further names added after the Second World War.

Description

MATERIALS: Granite.

DESCRIPTION: The memorial is located at a road junction between Boot and Dalegarth in Eskdale. It comprises a wheel-head cross decorated with carved circles around a central boss in the cross-head and surmounting a rectangular tapered shaft. The front face is inscribed THESE FELL/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ 1914 – 1918/ (14 NAMES)/ 1939 – 1945/ (4 NAMES). The other faces are inscribed similarly THESE SERVED/ IN THE FORCES/ 1914 – 1918/ (54 NAMES). The shaft is set upon a single-stepped base.

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, 3 July 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, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and the official policy of not repatriating the dead, which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.

One such memorial was raised at Eskdale as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 68 members of the local community who served during the First World War, of whom 14 died. It was made by the builder Thomas Preston, and unveiled on 16 May 1920 and dedicated by the Bishop of Barrow.

When the Second World War names were added, the memorial was re-dedicated on 10 April 1949 and unveiled by James D Porter who had lost a daughter, Ellie, whilst she served in the Women’s Land Army in the First World War. She died in an accident at Henhull Training Farm, Nantwich, Cheshire on 4 February 1918 aged 19. Ellie Porter’s name appears first on the memorial.

The memorial was refurbished in 2013 and the perimeter railings were replaced with dry stone walls.

Reasons for Listing

Eskdale War Memorial 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: an elegant and striking granite wheel-head cross.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478331

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

• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)