Summary

First World War memorial, 1921.

Description

First World War memorial, 1921.

MATERIALS: stone; wood.

DESCRIPTION: Christ Church War Memorial is located in the churchyard of the Church of St Aidan, Warwick Road, Carlisle, Cumbria. It is prominently situated outside the front of the church along the main road. It comprises a wooden gabled calvary on an octagonal stone plinth and octagonal two-stepped base. The plinth and base bear the inscriptions in incised lettering.

The inscription on the plinth reads TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY/ OF THE MEN/ CONNECTED WITH/ THIS PARISH AND/ CONGREGATION/ WHO FELL IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918// (NAMES).

The inscription on the base reads REST ETERNAL GRANT THEM O LORD.

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 Carlisle as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

Christ Church War Memorial was originally unveiled at Christ Church in Botchergate (demolished 1952), and represented 63 men of that parish who died in the First World War. Christ Church was closed and the war memorial relocated to St Aidan’s, along with parishioners. A faculty for it had been granted for its erection in the churchyard, in April 1921. The memorial was unveiled on 26 July 1921.

Reasons for Listing

Christ Church War Memorial, Carlisle, which is situated in St Aidan’s Churchyard, Carlisle, 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 First World War.

Architectural interest:

* as a simple but well-executed wooden calvary on an octagonal stone base.

Group value:

* with the Grade II-listed Church of St Aidan and the Grade II-listed St Aidan’s Church Hall.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66479833

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

• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments