Building record 14888 - Cenotaph, Bridge Foot, Warrington

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 1449249 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

A temporary war memorial was erected in Warrington for the Peace Day Celebrations in August 1919. Warrington Borough Council subsequently set up a war memorial committee in 1921 with the purpose of erecting a more permanent memorial; however, disagreements over the location of the memorial and a financial crisis meant a decision was delayed until May 1924 when plans were finally approved. The memorial was to the designs of the borough surveyor Andrew Kerr and consisted of an obelisk within an area of hard landscaping. It was unveiled in November 1925.
A screen wall was erected to the rear of the obelisk at a later date carrying bronze plaques with the names of the 1,161 local servicemen who died during the First World War. A further dedication was added commemorating the 435 local servicemen and 22 civilians who died during the Second World War. Details of those who died in later conflicts have also been added over subsequent years.

Warrington Cenotaph is located at the junction of Wilderspool Causeway and Knutsford Road, with the river Mersey forming the northern boundary of the site. It takes the form of a tall, stone obelisk rising from a cruciform-shaped plinth on a single-step base. Affixed to the front (south-west) face of the obelisk is an inverted bronze sword of sacrifice, which is situated below a decorative band with carved fan detail. The obelisk has a moulded foot and a band carved with Greek key motif to the base. The plinth has a moulded cap and foot with a carved, decorative band near the top with acanthus motifs to the corners. Inset to the front (south-west) face is a fielded panel with the inscription carved in relief, reading TO OUR/ GLORIOUS/ DEAD. The whole is set upon a raised stone platform.

To the rear of the obelisk is a curved, stone screen wall with flat stone copings and square corner piers: the central section is taller with the flanking sections stepping down in height. Affixed to the walls are bronze plaques with the names of the fallen and dedicatory inscriptions in raised lettering. Each plaque has a decorative frame and carries the inscription within a fielded panel. The central plaque reads: THIS TABLET ENSHRINES THE HONOURED NAMES OF WARRINGTON MEN/ WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE FOR THEIR COUNTRY 1914-1918. The names of the 1,161 who died are listed in columns beneath. Flanking the central plaque are two smaller, bronze plaques with the inscription to each reading: TO THE HONOURED MEMORY OF THOSE OF WARRINGTON WHO/ LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945. The names of the 435 local servicemen who died are listed in columns underneath. The right hand plaque also carries the 22 names of the civilian casualties.

The screen wall terminates at each end in square piers with inset panels to the exposed faces. The end piers have stepped stone caps, with moulded cornices. The westernmost pier has a bronze plaque to the inset panel of the east face dedicated to The Burma Star Association and those who fell in the Far East conflict during the Second World War. The corresponding pier to the east has a similar bronze plaque to its west face dedicated to those who have died in other conflicts.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the obelisk is set within an area of hard landscaping on a raised platform bounded by the screen wall to the north-east. The south-west boundary to the platform is a low, stone retaining wall with flat stone coping and square end piers. A central flight of steps lead up to the memorial, with two further flights of steps to either side against the screen wall. A flag pole* is situated to the south-east corner within a curve of the retaining wall.

<2> Keystone Heritage, 2018, Level 4 Record: Associated with dismantling and rebuilding of Grade II listed Warrington Cenotaph, R4282 (Client Report). SCH8650.

A level 4 building record was compiled in 2018 for the Warrington Cenotaph, both a Grade II nationally listed, also a locally listed building, in advance of repair works. The Cenotaph stands on the south bank of the River Mersey between Warrington Bridge and Warrington New Bridge. Following the collapse of a section of masonry river wall between the bridges and immediately behind the retaining wall of the cenotaph, it was considered necessary to undertake remedial works to prevent further collapse. Investigation on site also identified signs of past and potentially on-going cracking and movement of the boundary walls of the war memorial and gardens. This movement is probably caused by the collapse of the adjacent section river wall but may have been exacerbated by additional factors including insufficient original foundations or physical action by tree roots close-to and under the footings.

A scheme of remedial works has been devised for the installation of a sheet pile retaining wall along the riverbank to secure the bank and to improve the foundations and drainage to the hard landscape areas of the cenotaph. Various methodologies for undertaking the works were explored but the only viable solution necessitates the temporary dis-assembly of the cenotaph in order to allow plant access to the riverbank. While there are obvious risks involved in taking down the memorial garden walls and, in particular, the obelisk, the work is necessary in order to secure the Cenotaph site and prevent further collapse in future. The opportunity is also being taken to include additional public benefits in the scheme though the provision of ramp access to the cenotaph site, external lighting and improved mountings for memorial wreaths.