Lichfield War Memorial
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The Lichfield War Memorial also known as the Men of Lichfield Memorial[1] is a grade II* listed building in Lichfield, Staffordshire.
Description
The figure of George is rendered lifesize in Portland Stone. The structure is in Ashlar stone measuring 7.25 metres (23.8 ft) in height, ((convert|9.25|m}} in width and is 0.8 metres (2 ft 7 in) thick. The names of the war dead are inscribe on two sets of three panels, one set for each of the world wars, below the figure. The FWW panels are 1.2m gigh, the outer two panels are 1m wide while the central panel is 1.3m wide. THe SWW panels are the mounted below the FWW panels and are the same width but shorter. The central panels for wach war include an inscription commemorating the sacrifice of those named. The Gardens of Remembrance are enclosed by a 19th-century balustrade taken from Moxhull Hall in Warwickshire and the gate piers feature fiigures of lions bearing the Lichfield city coat of arms. The memorial is classical in style with Ionic pilasters flankinh a niche containing the figure of St Geroge standing atop a slain dragon. George holds a Christian cross in his right hand and his left hand rests on a shield with the same symbol. The nich is flanked by panels with swept parapets featuring carvings of wreaths surmounted by crowns. George is depcited as proud and youthful, his armour is inspired by that worn in Donatello's sculpture of St George at the Orsanmichele church in Florence. The pose of George is similar to that depicted by Giulio Angolo del Moro for the facade of the San Giorgio Maggiore (church), Venice. Immediately outside the niche two lions heads are depicted atop six inverted bouquets each labelled with the years of the first world war from 1914 to 1919.[2]
Gate is wrought iron, piers are brick with stone caps supporting the lion sculptures. Memorial is in English Renaissance style and the main wall is of Guiting stone modelled agyer a classical basilica facade. Teh pialsters are reeded and fluted. Niche is semi-circular with a shell detail at its top. Geroge's spear is bronze. The pediment's tympanum is decorated with carvings of a scallop shell and leaves. End piers are panelled with urn-like pinnacles topped with balls and foliage.[3]
REMEMBER WITH THANKSGIVING / THE MEN OF THIS CITY / WHO IN THEIR / COUNTRY'S HOUR OF NEED / WENT FORTH / ENDURED HARDNESS / FACED DANGER / AND FINALLY /PASSED OUT OF / THE SIGHT OF MEN / BY THE PATH OF SACRIFICE / AND THE GATE OF DEATH. / LET ALL WHO COME AFTER / SEE TO IT / THAT THESE DEAD / SHALL NOT HAVE DIED / IN VAIN / THAT THEIR NAME / BE NOT FORGOTTEN / AND WHAT THEY STROVE FOR / PERISH NOT.
— First World War plaque[2]
HESE LOWER PANELS / ARE DEDICATED / TO THOSE / WHO DIED / IN THE CAUSE / OF FREEDOM / DURING / THE WORLD WAR / 1939-1945 / AND THE / STRUGGLES WHICH / FOLLOWED.
— Second World War plaque[2]
History
Sculpted by Robert Brudgeman & Sons of Lichfield Unveiled 20 October 1920. [2]
First received protection as a grade II listed building on 5 February 1952; the listing includes the walls, gate piers and ballustrade but the memorial is noted as the priamry object of interest. At the start of the FWW Lichfield served as a depot for the four reserve battalion sof the South Staffordshire Regiment and the North Staffordshire Regiment. Each regiment raised three additional battalions in the city during 1914 as part of Kitchener's New Army and these served in France and Italy. An additional Garrison Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment was raised in the city in 1917 for service in India. The garden of remembrance was designed by Charles Bateman on a site owned by the Lichfield Corporation to the north-west of Minster Pool. It incorporated existing 18th-century walls to the north and east. Says the balustrade and two urns on the west and south were taken from Shenstone Court. A gate by JC Culwick of Lichfield, bearing the lettering PAX-1919, was installed in the western ballsutrade and Bateman incorporated an ancient boundary stone into the right hand gate pier. Works began in 1919 under supervision of the City Surveyor PA Benn. The memorial on the east wall was also designed by Bateman and built by Messrs Robert Bridgeman and Sons to commeorate 209 local men who died during the FWW. The city's War Memorial Committee, chaired by Major Longstaff, restricted eligibility for inclusion to those who were born in Lichfield or who lived there at the time of their enlistment. The Garden and memorial were opened on 20 October 1920 by the mayor, HG Hall, and dedicated by the Bishop of Lichfield. The ceremony was attended by a large number of dignitaries, the buglers of the 6th Battalion, North Staffordsjire Refiment, the band of the 2nd Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and choirs of the cathedral and local churches. The additional plaques commemorating 83 men who died in the SWW were added shortly after that war concluded in 1945. In 2009 the memorial and harden were restored as part of a £60,000 project part funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the War Memorials Trust. Teh garden and memorial won a British Association of Landscape Industries award in 2012. .[3]
Plaques ar ein Westmoreland Slate. Restoration from 2009-2012. [1]
The memorial's status was raised to grade II* on 24 June 2016 as part of commemorations of the centenary of the start of the Battle of the Somme.[4]
References
- ^ a b "Men Of Lichfield". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d Noszlopy, George Thomas; Waterhouse, Fiona (1 January 2005). Public Sculpture of Staffordshire and the Black Country. Liverpool University Press. pp. 81–82. ISBN 978-0-85323-989-5.
- ^ a b "Lichfield War Memorial, Garden Walls, Balustrades and Gate with Gate Piers, Lichfield - 1187733". Historic England. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
- ^ "Memorials to war dead listed to mark Somme centenary". BBC News. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2024.