Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 16 April 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

Description

First World War memorial, 1921, with Second World War additions.

MATERIALS: grey granite

DESCRIPTION: Distington War Memorial is located in Main Street, Distington, Cumbria. It is prominently situated by the west side of Main Street near to the southern junction with the B5306, close to Beck Green. It comprises a silver grey granite obelisk with a moulded foot incorporating carved swags, set upon a tall four-sided plinth with a deep cornice and a two-tiered moulded foot that includes a relief-carved sheathed sword to the south face. The whole stands upon a three-tiered square base. The plinth bears the inscriptions in leaded lettering and includes the regiment or service of those commemorated.

The inscription reads: South Face: ERECTED BY THE INHABITANTS OF/ THIS PARISH TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ (NAMES)/ "SALUTE THE GLORIOUS DEAD WHO/ WENT OUT AND RETURNED NOT"/ 1914-1918// (NAMES)/ West Face: (NAMES)/ North Face: (NAMES)/ East Face: IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO/ PAID THE SUPREME SACRIFICE/ 1939-1945/ (NAMES)

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

Distington War Memorial commemorates the Fallen of Distington, Pica, Winscales and Dyonside. The memorial commemorates 53 local servicemen who fell in the First World War and 21 men who fell in the Second World War.

The monument was made by Messrs Beattie and Co and cost around £420, paid for by public subscription, and was unveiled on 16 April 1921 by Major C A Valentine TD, of Ellerkeld, Workington, and dedicated by the Reverend T Foster Edwards.

The memorial was restored in 1992 and was moved a short distance from its original location in 2001 due to road improvements.

Reasons for Listing

Distington War Memorial erected in 1921, 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:

* a well executed memorial in the form of a granite obelisk bearing a sword carved in relief.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66479480

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

• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)