Obelisk 1914-18 1939-45 Northern Ireland Spa Well

Spa Well, Spittal, on main street running through the village.

a. 1914-18
b. 1939-45
c. Northern ireland

a. Unveiled July 1921 by Brig. General Riddell, C.M.G., D.S.O.

Grey granite obelisk, bronze plaques.

War Memorial Committee

Estimated £550

Ald. Boston gave £250.

a.
To the memory of
Spittal men who gave their
lives in the Great War
1914-1919
b.
To the memory of
the men and women of Spittal
who fell in the 1939-1945 War.

Obelisk, height approx. 21 feet (6.4m) on square pedestal 60 inches high (152cms) set in small garden with iron railings.

It stands on three stone steps which, in turn, are set on a step of concrete.

The whole memorial is approached up a small flight of steps.

On the shaft of the obelisk is a plaque, tapering from 10 inches wide at the bottom to 7 inches wide at the top, and 12 inches deep  (25cms x 18cms x 30cms), bearing the words “To Our Glorious Dead”.

On the front of the pedestal is a tapering plaque, 36 inches high x 18 inches wide at the top and 24 inches wide at the bottom (91cms x 46cms x 61cms), which bears the dedication and names from 1914-18.

On the riser of the step below is a third plaque, 10 inches high x 24 inches wide (25cms x 61cms), which bears the dedication to 1939-45.

All the lettering is in sans serif capitals..

1. The names of 11 men who died in 1939-45 and 1 who died in Northern Ireland were added in 2006.

2. The spa was also restored with water flowing after a break of 15 years.

3. The Spittal Improvement Trust raised over £50,000 towards the work.

Historic England Listing

Photos: J. Brown; P. Thirkell; old postcard: Tony Harding

Alnwick & County Gazette
16/07/1921 reports unveiling.

Berwick Advertiser
23/01/1920 contains a small advertisement requesting name, age, rank & date of death of those who fell to J.H. Lyall, secretary of 2, St. Helen’s. Spittal.

Newcastle Daily Journal
04/06/1920 reports agreement re monument and that Ald. Boston donated £250.

The Journal
09/03/2006 reports proposal to restore the area and add names from 1939-45 and Northern Ireland;
22/07/2006 reports work to start;
17/10/06 reports work almost completed

Morpeth County Library
Postcard collection shows site before and after monument was built.

John S. Perry;
Berwick upon Tweed Town Council;
George and Janet Brown;
Ralph W. Gould;
Janet Digby