Summary

First World War memorial, 1922, with later additions for the Second World War.

Description

The memorial stands in a square enclosure on the village green to the south of Front Street. Built of Kenmay granite, it comprises a Latin cross rising from a moulded collar on top of a tapering, octagonal, shaft. The cross shaft stands on the plinth, square on plan. The plinth’s base stands on two steps, the uppermost of which is in granite with a chamfered riser to the front; the lower step is sandstone.

The principal dedicatory inscription on the front face of the plinth reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND/ IN THANKFUL REMEMBRANCE/ OF THE MEN/ FROM THIS PARISH,/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ FOR US/ IN THE GREAT WAR,/ 1914 – 1918. Below on the base is “GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS.” The names of the commemorated men are recorded on the other three sides of the plinth. The dates 1939 1945 are recorded on the front face of the upper step, with the Second World War names in between on the chamfered riser of the step. The inscriptions are in applied metal lettering.

The memorial is enclosed by a low stone wall, higher at each corner and with ornamental posts carrying chains in the central sections. The gate to the enclosure is on the northern side.

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, 7 February 2017.

History

Cockfield War Memorial was unveiled on 7 October 1922 by Mr WH Hustler, chairman of the North Bitchburn Coal Company (the company was the principal employer in the village). The memorial was dedicated by Reverend JW Scudamore in commemoration of 45 local men who died serving during the First World War, many of whom worked at the Gordon House Colliery. The cost of £253 was met by public subscription. Following the Second World War the names of eight men who fell in that conflict were added in 1948.

Reasons for Listing

Cockfield War Memorial, which stands on the village green, 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: a simple yet dignified memorial cross.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26678112

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

• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)