Memorial

Cross 1914-18 1939-45 Terrace Green

Seaham and Seaham Harbour

Memorial Name: Cross 1914-18 1939-45 Terrace Green (S117.03)

NEWMP Ref No.: S117.03

Parish: Seaham and Seaham Harbour

Original Location:

On sea front between North Terrace and the shore

Which War:

a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45

Dedication, Creation or Publication date:

Unveiled 20th August 1922 by Marquis of Londonderry,
dedicated by Canon Collins, or Colling, Vicar of Seaham.

Materials Used:

Cornish granite.

Four corner stones are of Heworth stone.

Who Commissioned:

War Memorial Committee.

Cost:

£1,200

How Money was Raised:

Marquis of Londonderry gave 100 guineas and paid the outstanding amount of £350.

Present Condition: Vandalised May 2005. Lettering is subject to erosion.

Sculptor, Artist or Designer:

Built by McMillan and Sons, Sunderland.

Inscription:

In
Grateful
Memory Of
Our
Fellow
Townsmen
Who Fell
In The
Great War
And The
World War

The
Immortal
Dead

1914-1918 1939-1945

Memorial Description:

Cross of Celtic wheel type, 30 feet tall (9.3m), on an octagonal base with three shallow steps.

There is a low railing round the bottom of the pedestal to contain wreaths.

The whole is set in a square site with two steps, square corner stones, but no railings.

On each face of the pedestal is a wreath carved in half relief inside which are the words “The Immortal Dead”.

The dates 1914-1918 and 1939-1935 are on the two adjoining faces.

The dedication is at the foot of the tapering shaft of the cross.

Names:

None

Notes:

1. In 1999 the area around the cross was paved, a grassed area with flowers, seats and a small car park provided.

2. The local press reported “ . . . a Celtic cross of Gothic design 70 feet high . . .”

3. There is a metal railing around the base of the pedestal, which was not there originally.

4. In 2008, this memorial was cleaned and general maintenance work done as part of District of Easington Council’s plans to enhance the area’s appearance. This was due to an approach by Seaham’s Friends of War Memorials Group. The work included lighting round the memorial being repaired, the inscription renewed and the flagstones repointed.

5. In 1922: “Three boys who played around the memorial and damaged it were each fined 2 shillings plus 6 pence for the damage and had to pay 4 shilling costs”.

6. One of the original suggestions for the memorial was to be the reconstruction of the Londonderry Institute, at an estimated cost of £6,000 which rose to £8,000. An appeal was launched which raised £205, and the idea was dropped.

7. In 2022 a number of memorial seats have been added to the surrounding area.
They have plaques on them but none of the plaques are in memory of casualties of War.
One has first world war soldiers, barbed wire and poppies.
A second has two doves and poppies and the words “Lest We Forget”.
The third has soldiers running towards an outline of Europe with Spitfires overhead and the dates “1939-1945”.

External Links:

Historic England Listing

Sources:

Photos: C. Sanders; Simon Raine; Tony Harding; Dorothy Hall; Lonely Tower; old postcards: Tony Harding; George Nairn

Auckland and County Chronicle
19/10/1922 reports vandalism in Note 5 above.

Durham Chronicle
25/08/1922 reports unveiling.

Durham County Advertiser
21/07/1922;
29/09/1922

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail
24/11/1920 reports proposals in Note 6 above.

Illustrated Chronicle
21/08/1922 reports unveiling with photos.

Newcastle Daily Chronicle
06/05/1922 reports approval of scheme

Northern Echo
06/05/1922 reports proposed design;
19/08/1922 reports proposed unveiling;
21/08/1922 reports unveiling.

Seaham Weekly News
05/05/1922 reports proposals