Towneley Park War Memorial :: Shared Description
Burnley War Memorial is situated in Towneley Park, approximately 100 metres to the east of Towneley Hall. The memorial was unveiled by Lord Derby in 1926 in a ceremony attended by a crowd estimated at over 30000 people.
The Towneley Park war memorial is a Portland stone cenotaph which merges into carved busts of a soldier, airman and sailor. On each side are bronze female figures representing wives, sisters or mothers. There are also some interesting symbols used in the design such as the rosemary bush for remembrance and the cricket bat representing the men’s boyhood. In front of the memorial is a reflective pool surrounded by paving and grass.
The design was produced by Walter Henry Gilbert, the lesser known cousin of the famous sculptor Sir Alfred Gilbert. Gilbert said that he had endeavoured to conceive a memorial that shall breathe nothing of slaughter, but only of duty fulfilled and by fulfilment of duty, the comfort and thankfulness brought to those who remain (Link
War Memorials Trust).
The inscription reads:
“This monument was erected in memory
of the men of Burnley who gave their
lives for their fellow countrymen
in the Great War 1914 – 1918
Make them to be numbered with thy saints in glory everlasting.
This monument stands also in honour of
those who died for our freedom 1939-1945”.
Names are held in a 'book of honour'; The local school of art created pages of vellum with the names of the fallen inscribed. These were framed in a rotating carousel in Towneley Hall for visitors to see.
The memorial is a Grade II-listed by English Heritage (English Heritage Building ID: 467234 Link British Listed Buildings).
The Towneley Park war memorial is a Portland stone cenotaph which merges into carved busts of a soldier, airman and sailor. On each side are bronze female figures representing wives, sisters or mothers. There are also some interesting symbols used in the design such as the rosemary bush for remembrance and the cricket bat representing the men’s boyhood. In front of the memorial is a reflective pool surrounded by paving and grass.
The design was produced by Walter Henry Gilbert, the lesser known cousin of the famous sculptor Sir Alfred Gilbert. Gilbert said that he had endeavoured to conceive a memorial that shall breathe nothing of slaughter, but only of duty fulfilled and by fulfilment of duty, the comfort and thankfulness brought to those who remain (Link
War Memorials Trust).The inscription reads:
“This monument was erected in memory
of the men of Burnley who gave their
lives for their fellow countrymen
in the Great War 1914 – 1918
Make them to be numbered with thy saints in glory everlasting.
This monument stands also in honour of
those who died for our freedom 1939-1945”.
Names are held in a 'book of honour'; The local school of art created pages of vellum with the names of the fallen inscribed. These were framed in a rotating carousel in Towneley Hall for visitors to see.
The memorial is a Grade II-listed by English Heritage (English Heritage Building ID: 467234 Link
British Listed Buildings).by David Dixon
More nearby...
Related descriptions
- Towneley Hall
By David Dixon. Used on 14 images
7 images use this description:
- View all images using this description in the Browser | On a Map
- View all images using "Towneley Park War Memorial" Shared Description(s) | On a Map | (Just this shared description)
- This description is located in SD85513079,
Links for SD85513079 | Photos for SD85513079 - Find nearby images mentioning the words [ Towneley Park War Memorial ] | (in the Browser)
These Shared Descriptions are common to multiple images. For example, you can create a generic description for an object shown in a photo, and reuse the description on all photos of the object. All descriptions are public and shared between contributors, i.e. you can reuse a description created by others, just as they can use yours.
Created: Tue, 1 Jul 2014, Updated: Tue, 1 Jul 2014
The 'Shared Description' text on this page is Copyright 2014 David Dixon, however it is specifically licensed so that contributors can reuse it on their own images without restriction.
