Cross 1914-18 St. Bartholomew’s Churchyard

St. Bartholomew’s Churchyard, Station Road / Ashleigh Grove, Benton.

1914-18

Unveiled 6th May 1922 by Pte. T.D. Nicholson;
dedicated by Dr. Wild, Bishop of Durham.

White granite and bronze.

Longbenton Burial Board.

Public subscription.
£50 was donated by Masters and Scholars of Balliol College, Oxford, patrons of the living.

1914-1919
To the glorious memory of
the men from this parish
who gave their lives in
the service of their Country
in the
Great War
and whose names are recorded on a
tablet in the church.

Lest we Forget

Erected by
Public
subscription

(List of names)
who died on active service
and whose names are not
on the church tablet

(List of names)
Who died from wounds
and are buried
in this plot.

Cross on tall, slender white granite octagonal column, total height 20 feet (4.57m).

The shaft, which has hollowed sides, tapers above two tapering pedestals, approx. 58 inches diameter and 44 inches diameter respectively (147cms x 111cms), the whole resting on a circular base.

The names are on the main pedestal, made by attaching sans serif lead lettering to the stonework.

The words “Lest we forget” and “Erected by public subscription” are on the front face of the bottom pedestal.

The cross at the top of the Column is a bronze foliated with the initials entwined “I.H.S.” in the middle. (These represent the first 3 initials of the Greek spelling of Jesus).

1. Commemorative tablets of those who “died from wounds and are buried in this plot” are ranged in an arc in front of the column.

2. Private Nicholson, who unveiled the cross, lost both his legs during the war.

3. An address was given by Rev. F.L. Wilkinson, who resigned his curacy to join up as a private and was later commissioned and stationed locally.

4. The day of the unveiling was windy and raining.

5. In 2014 a metal railing (for wreaths) was added around the base of the Memorial as well as paving stones to the back of the memorial. These line up with the public path edge.

6. The cross at the very top has not been cleaned or the vegetation staining on the front of the memorial.

7. New lettering has replaced the missing letters NOTE: Pte Bays should be Stkr Bays. See his Every Name a Story entry.

8. The appearance and layout of this memorial has been altered not sympathetically to its original design. “Quote from public” 2015.

Historic England Listing

Photos: P. Thirkell; James Pasby; Kevin Milburn

Illustrated Chronicle
05/05/1922 reports forthcoming unveiling.

Morpeth Herald
1919 passim reports appeal for funds and lists of donors.

Newcastle Daily Chronicle
11/10/1920 reports fund raising so far;
05/05/1922 reports proposed unveiling;
08/05/1922 reports unveiling.

Newcastle Daily Journal
05/04/1920 reports that Longbenton Burial Board is appealing for funds for a war memorial to be erected in the cemetery;
08/04/1920 reports Mrs. Longford offered to erect bronze memorial and this was accepted.

Newcastle Weekly Chronicle
06/05/1922 reports proposed unveiling;
13/05/1922 reports unveiling.

Northern Echo
08/05/1922 reports unveiling.

Tyne and Wear Archives
Unveiling programme, with Roll of Honour Ref. 1803/1/5 plus photos and newspaper cuttings.

Source of quotation
“Lest We Forget” Recessional Rudyard Kipling.