Summary

First World War memorial, 1925, with later additions for the Second World War.

Description

The stone memorial stands opposite Eden Terrace in an area of open ground, previously in front of Leasingthorne Social Centre. It takes the form of an obelisk, square on plan, rising from the corniced top of a pedestal. The pedestal stands on a two-stepped base. The monument is surrounded by a square enclosure of railings carried on a low kerb.

The principal dedicatory inscription on the front face of the pedestal reads ERECTED/ IN UNDYING MEMORY/ OF THE MEN/ WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918./ “UNTIL THE DAY DAWN” with on the riser of the upper step below AND THE WORLD WAR/ 1939 – 1945. The commemorated names are listed on the remaining faces of the pedestal.

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

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

Leasingthorne was the pit village serving Leasingthorne Colliery. The colliery was opened in 1836. The war memorial was unveiled on 12 September 1925 by Colonel E Vaux and dedicated by Reverend D Perrott. It cost circa £80 and commemorates 17 local servicemen who died during the First World War. Following the Second World War the names of six men who died in that conflict were added. The colliery closed in 1967 and much of the village, including many of the houses and the Primary School, has since been demolished.

Reasons for Listing

Leasingthorne War Memorial, which stands opposite Eden Terrace, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: an elegant obelisk in the Classical style.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478043

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.

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