Summary
First World War memorial.
Description
Park Road Methodist Church War Memorial is located within Darwen Cemetery close to the entrance on Bolton Road. It stands opposite the Darwen CWGC Cross of Sacrifice.
The memorial takes the form of a rectangular stone pillar surmounted by a curved-headed corniced block with indented corners with egg and dart moulding. A serpent devouring itself with its tail in its mouth is carved in relief on the north face of the block representing the eternal cycle of destruction and re-birth. The pillar has recessed panels on the east and west faces and a stone plaque on the north face. The pillar rises from a deep two-stepped base. The north and south faces of the top step have a wreath carved in relief; within the wreath on the north face is incised PARK/ ROAD/ METHODIST/ CHURCH.
The north face of the pillar reads TO THE HONOURED MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF THIS CHURCH/ AND SUNDAY SCHOOL/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR./ 1914 – 1919/ (15 NAMES)/ “THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE”. The bottom step of the plinth bears the inscription CHRIST DIED FOR ALL MEN/ THESE DIED FOR OUR COUNTRY.
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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Darwen as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 15 members of the Park Road Methodist Church and Sunday School who lost their lives in the First World War.
Little is known about the history of the memorial, although it was originally located within the grounds of Park Road Methodist Church in Darwen. Following the closure of the church, the memorial was temporarily relocated to Whitehall Park in 2003 before being moved to its current location in Darwen Cemetery.
Reasons for Listing
Park Road Methodist Church War Memorial, which is situated in Darwen Cemetery on Bolton Road in Darwen, 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 sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* an evocative and well-executed stone pillar with relief-carved decorative details.
External Links
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
London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
For the Record
Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments