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Withernsea Old War Memorial

This memorial is located in the Italian Gardens on Queen Street in Withernsea. It consists of a Latin cross with recessed front and rear faces bearing emblems in relief. The cross is on an octagonal shaft which rests on the apex of a square moulded plinth and steps. The front and rear of the plinth are recessed and contain bronze plaques framed with hardwood dedicated to those killed in World War I. The side face recesses are each dressed with a wreath carved in relief. The memorial is made of limestone. Inserted centrally into the top two steps of the front face is a stone support presenting an upwards angled face on which is mounted a bronze plaque dedicated to those killed in World War II.

In 2011, a grant of £2,250 was offered through the Small Grants Scheme towards repair works. These works were comprehensive and involved the memorial first being cleaned using the DOFF steam cleaning system to remove the inappropriate paint which had been put on the memorial. As the stonework is in poor condition a lime-based shelter coat was applied to provide some protection. Open and failed joints were raked out by hand and re-pointed with lime mortar to match the existing in colour, texture and strength. The hardwood frames of the plaques inserted into the plinth were replaced with seasoned oak and treated with conditioning oil. The incised inscriptions of these plaques were repainted in an approved colour. All ferrous fixings were replaced with non-ferrous alternatives. Finally, the bronze plaques were marked with SmartWater as part of the In Memoriam 2014 campaign to offer greater protection to war memorials. Unfortunately the final grant award had to be reduced due to inappropriate cleaning methods used on the metal plaques which were outside of the approved methods. However, due to the importance of the conservation works to this memorial, War Memorials Trust agreed to pay the remainder of the grant.

The memorial was erected in 1923 at a cost of £451, the funds for which were collected through public subscription. A service of dedication was held in 1924.

The plaque on the front face of the plinth is inscribed:

“Our glorious dead”

Underneath are inscribed in four columns the names of sixty-four men killed in World War I.

The plaque on the rear face of the plinth bears the inscription:

“To the undying memory of
those sixty-three brave men of Withernsea
who laid down their lives
in the Great War 1914 – 1919
and of their comrades from this township
who in offering an equal service
were not called to an equal sacrifice
August 1920”

Set on the plaque on the front face of the steps is the epitaph:

“To the greater glory of God
in honoured memory of those from this town
who gave their lives in the World War 1939 – 1945”

Below this are set the names of sixty-five men killed in this War, and underneath is the following text:

“At the going down of the sun and
in the morning we will remember them”.

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM3076
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 35489

War Memorials Online: 88933

If you have a concern about this memorial please contact the Trust on conservation@warmemorials.org

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