Cenotaph 1914-18 1939-45 St. Lawrence’s Churchyard

On a site immediately north of the old bridge, near the road to the cemetery.

Transferred to the new site in 1963 when the new bridge was built.

Church of St. Lawrence, at corner of graveyard, Dial Place.

a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45

a. Unveiled 14th September 1920 by Major Gen. Sir R.A.K. Montgomery, preceded by a service in the village conducted by Rev. J. Alexander, of the Presbyterian Church.

Stone, with bronze panels.

£200 estimate

Public subscription

Major M.H. Graham, Architect, of Birling Manor and Eldon Square.

a.
In Honoured Memory
of
(names)
who gave up their
lives in the Great
War AD 1914-1918

b.
And the following who gave up their
lives in the war of 1939-1945

Cenotaph 9 feet high (2.74 m) situated within low curved walls which contain flower tubs.

It rests on a base 98 cm x 64 cm.

At its foot is a container for cut flowers.

At the top of the monument is a bronze laurel wreath.

There are two bronze panels.

The upper one 48 inches high by 18 inches wide (121cms x 46cms) carries the names from 1914-18, the lower one 18 inches high x 10 inches wide (46cms x 25cms) bears the names from 1939-45.

The names are in raised Roman capitals throughout.

1. German guns accepted as war trophies were thrown into the quarry at Amble, where they joined those from Amble.

2. The memorial was designed to resemble the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London.

3. The memorial was moved in 1963 because it stood at the foot of a steep bank on the corner of the cemetery. This bank not only had to be excavated for the building of the new bridge, but it was at the same time pinned behind a retaining wall as it was in danger of slipping if left.

Warkworth War Memorials
Historic England Listing

Photos: Tony Harding, Phil Thirkell; old postcard: John S. Perry

Alnwick & County Gazette
20/03/1920 reports proposals and costs;
1920 passim contains progress reports;
11/09/1920 reports proposed unveiling;
18/09/1920 reports unveiling with four photographs.

Alnwick Gazette Almanack
1916 carries a photo of Sgt. W.H. Farrall and Cpl. R. Mills with two other non- commissioned officers. Also Sgt. Instructor J. Topping; killed in action

Illustrated Chronicle
13/09/1920 reports unveiling with photos.

Morpeth Herald
17/09/1920 reports unveiling ceremony;
24/09/1920 reports tipping of guns into Amble quarry.

Newcastle Daily Journal
19/03/1920 reports adoption of Cenotaph as memorial;
13/09/1920 reports unveiling.

Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
18/09/1920 reports unveiling.

North Mail
13/09/1920 reports unveiling.

Diocese of Newcastle
Faculty No. 2261 27/07/1962 allows placing of memorial in corner of churchyard

Morpeth County Library
Postcard collection has two pictures of Warkworth’s “Welcome to wounded” 26/08/1915.

Northumberland County Council (Bridges Section)
has photographs of the memorial in its original position; of the memorial crated up and being lifted out of its original position until its relocation.

David Wilkinson, East Coquet Local History Society;
Philip Thirkell;
Janet Brown;
Michael Newrick;
Northumberland County Council;
Rev. Alan Bill;
Tony Harding;
John Swan Perry;
June Watson;
Dorothy Hall

See the Warkworth Memorial website