Listed Building: RAINOW WAR MEMORIAL CROSS AND SEAT (1437499)

List Entry Summary This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest. Name: Rainow War Memorial Cross and Seat List entry Number: 1437499 Location: Memorial Garden, Tower Hill, Rainow, Cheshire, SK10 5TX The building may lie within the boundary of more than one authority. County: District: Cheshire East District Type: Unitary Authority Parish: Rainow National Park: PEAK DISTRICT Grade: II Date first listed: 08-Sep-2016 Date of most recent amendment: Not applicable to this List entry. Asset Groupings This list entry does not comprise part of an Asset Grouping. Asset Groupings are not part of the official record but are added later for information. List entry Description Summary of Building First World War memorial cross and Second World War memorial seat. Reasons for Designation Rainow War Memorial Cross and Seat, standing in the memorial garden on Tower Hill, are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20; * Architectural interest: an elegant memorial cross and sensitively-designed memorial seat both built in a local stone; * Group value: with the Grade II-listed buildings of Tower Hill Farm. History The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. One such memorial was raised at Rainow as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 37 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was designed and built by Andrew Sutton (d1921), local stone mason and sub-postmaster. Following the Second World War a stone memorial seat was built into the memorial garden, behind the memorial cross. This commemorates the seven local men who died in that conflict. Details The war memorial cross stands in a small garden to the south side of Tower Hill, opposite the Grade II-listed buildings of Tower Hill Farm. Built of Kerridge stone, the c6m tall cross comprises a small wheel-head cross rising from a tapered octagonal shaft. The moulded and decorated shaft foot stands on a tapering pedestal. The pedestal stands on a two-stage base, which stands on a low step. The principal dedicatory inscription on the front face of the pedestal reads THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE./ IN MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF/ RAINOW WHO FELL/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919. Commemorated First World War names are listed on the other sides of the pedestal. A substantial seat, also in Kerridge stone, stands behind the memorial cross to the rear of the garden. The seat is formed of a rectangular bay of coursed stone walling, with internal stone benching to the rear and sides. The bay wall is modulated from the centre and capped. A stone plaque let into the rear wall records the Second World War dedication, reading IN PROUD & HONOURED MEMORY OF THE MEN/ OF RAINOW WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE/ WORLD WAR 1939 – 45/ (7 NAMES). This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 26 January 2017. Selected Sources Rainow Community Website, accessed 08/07/2016 from http://www.rainow.org/ War Memorials Online, accessed 26 January 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/183639 Imperial War Museum, War Memorials Register, accessed 08/07/2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/1985 National Grid Reference: SJ9481875794