Memorial Title
Whaley Bridge Memorial Park
Summary
Images
|
|
|
|
|
|
Locations
| Last known location: Whaley Bridge Memorial Park Wheatsheaf Rd Whaley Bridge Derbyshire |
Nearest postcode: SK23 7JB NGR: SK 00975 80894 ±5m (Cross.) |
Location details: The park is southwest of the town, between the Rover Goyt and Toddbrook Reservoir. The cross is roughly in the middle of the park. |
Type
| Overall type: Park. |
Overall condition: Good The inscriptions are legible. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Description: A public park of about 7.5ha containing sports pitches, pavilions, children's play areas and areas laid to lawns with shrubberies and belts of trees. The park also contains a stone cross and the Wheatsheaf Road entrance has a metal arch with memorial inscriptions. The Portland Limestone cross has a central boss and interlaced strapwork on the limbs in Celtic or Anglo-Saxon style and the tapered shaft has recessed panels on the faces, some containing inscriptions in relief. The cross surmounts its own battered oblong plinth, each face of which bears an intricately carved bound wreath of oak or laurel with ribbons bearing the names of significant WW1 countries or battles. This in turn surmounts a battered oblong pedestal with moulded capstone and plinth and bearing on each face a trapezoidal granite tablet with rounded top and bearing the inscriptions and names incised in upright capital roman lettering coloured black. The whole surmounts a four-stepped base, the front faces of which have a rounded projection and bear a stone vase on the top step. The cross is accompanied by two circular bronze plaques set into the surface of the adjacent pavement, each bearing a depiction of a poppy and the dates of the respective conflicts. The black-painted arch across the path from Wheatsheaf Road is an extension of the adjacent railings and comprises a two-ring semicircular arch with panels containing an inscription and dates in upright capital roman lettering painted white. |
Components:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Inscription
| 6 o'clock face of cross: | 12 o'clock face of cross: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1914 1919 |
1939 1945 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wreath on 6 o'clock face: | Wreath on 9 o'clock face: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FRANCE BELGIUM | SOMME YPRES | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wreath on 12 o'clock face: | Wreath on 3 o'clock face: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ITALY EGYPT | JUTLAND SUVLA BAY | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tablet on 6 o'clock face (WW1): | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND TO THE IMMORTAL MEMORY OF THE GALLANT MEN OF WHALEY BRIDGE AND DISTRICT. THESE GAVE THEIR LIVES SERVING THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR A.D. 1914 - 1919. AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tablet on 9 o'clock face (WW1): | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tablet on 12 o'clock face (WW2): | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tablet on 3 o'clock face (WW1): | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Entrance arch: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WHALEY BRIDGE 1914-19 MEMORIAL PARK 1939-45 2000 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Administration
Local authorities:
From WW1: Taxal Parish Council; Macclesfield Rural District Council; Cheshire County Council.
From WW2: Whaley Bridge Parish Council; Whaley Bridge Urban District Council; Derbyshire County Council.
From 1974: Whaley Bridge Town Council; High Peak Borough Council; Derbyshire County Council.
History
7th May, 1921: The memorial cross was unveiled by Mr J W Little and bore the name of 106 men from the district who fell in the war. Col Goodman and Col Hall also took part in the ceremony. The cross had cost £600.
1930s: Boundary changes resulted in the park being transferred to Derbyshire.
1940s: An additional tablet was provided to commemorate the 39 people who fell in WW2.
Unknown date: Two further names were added to the WW1 tablets, and corrections were made to some spellings.
2012-13: A major refurbishment project for the park included the new arch at the Wheatsheaf Road entrance and improvements to the cross, including the carving of the WW2 dates on the shaft, hand cleaning of the memorial and the provision of paving around it.
11th May 2014: The cross was rededicated by Rev Margaret Jones, vicar of Holy Trinity and Taxal churches.
19th May 2016: The memorial was surveyed by Roy Branson and Alan Willmot. It was in good condition.
References
Sheffield Independent; 9th May 1921: a report on the unveiling ceremony.
Buxton Advertiser; 16th May 2014: a report on the rededication ceremony, with photographs.
Comments