Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1921.

Description

The polished granite memorial stands in an enclosure to the west side of the A68, c40m to the south-east of High Park House. It takes the form of an obelisk, square on plan with a pyramidal top, rising from the corniced cap of a tapering pedestal. The pedestal base stands on a sandstone step, square on plan.

The principal dedicatory inscription to the front face of the pedestal reads THE WORLD WAR/ 1914 – 1919/ ERECTED BY/ THE PARISH OF CORSENSIDE/ TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY/ OF/ (NAMES). The names are recorded with place of burial and date of death. The southern pedestal face carries the Second World War names, similarly recorded.

The square enclosure is defined by low stone walls with two corner piers to the front wall. The front wall is broken by a narrow rake of stone steps from which a short path leads to 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, 27 February 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 West Woodburn as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of Corsenside parish who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial was unveiled in 1921 in commemoration of 16 local servicemen who died in the First World War. It cost c£300, raised by the parishioners, and was provided by Emley and Sons of Newcastle. Following the Second World War the names of 8 men who died in that conflict were added.

Reasons for Listing

Corsenside Parish War Memorial at West Woodburn, which stands in an enclosure beside the A68, 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 memorial obelisk in the Classical style.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478355

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

• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)