& WAR MEMORIAL Heritage Statement

Axis Design Architects Ltd on behalf of ARMITAGE & HANDSACRE PARISH COUNCIL

February2021 Memorial Site

The war memorial site is at the junction of New Road and Shirebrook Road and is currently an established hard and soft landscaped area with a car park along the southern side. The site contains the Armitage & Handsacre War Memorial which faces NW towards New Road with a backdrop of hedge planting and soft landscaping. The car park access is off Millmoor Avenue and a pattern of footpaths connect it to the perimeter highway. The site is relatively flat with existing trees all identified on the Site Survey information submitted.

The site has an area of 1350 sm and is in the ownership of District Council. Site postcode is WS15 4AA OS grid ref: SK070 160

Design Brief Memorial Site The Parish Council wishes to improve the setting of the existing memorial and to create a new space large enough to accommodate up to 150 -200 people on Remembrance day events They also wish to address the safety concerns of crowds currently gathering and encroaching onto New Road, a busy classified road. The local heritage and commemorative functions are to be retained and enhanced with a new more attractive setting. This brief is the basis of the current commission.

Site context The site lies within an area which had a long established use as a brick and pipe manufacturer. Upon cessation of this use and the construction of new homes, community facilities and highway, Original site the war memorial was re-sited from its original position on the junction of Road and Current site Boat House Lane. The present site is some half a kilometre east of its original siting. It was originally dedicated in the 1920’s, relocated in, or around, the 1960’s and repaired by the War Memorial Trust in 2014.

Memorial Heritage Statement Records

The memorial takes the form of a 4.2m high calvary cross and crucifixion figure mounted on inscribed base plinths with circular and quatrefoil lower plinths. It is grade II listed since 2015 and entered in the NHLE as no: 1429194. Extracts from this entry are included below and also contained in drg. 559-02. This information is also contained in the IWM War Memorials Register listing 13452.

National Heritage List Entry No: 1429194 Grade 11 listed

Armitage with Handsacre War Memorial was unveiled by Brigadier-General Stewart CMG DSO on 15 February 1920, in memory of the parishioners who fell in the First World War. It was designed and executed by Messrs Bridgeman and Sons of Lichfield. On the previous Saturday at a well-attended ceremony, the returned servicemen of the parish had been presented with souvenirs arranged by a Welcome Committee.

After the Second World War an inscription on a new stone was added to the base in memory of those who fell in that conflict. The memorial was originally erected on the corner of Boat House Lane and Rugeley Road on a plot donated by Mr Hiram Moorcroft, but was moved c300m to the east to New Road at a later date. This ground was donated by Armitage Ware Ltd and the small memorial garden in which it now stands was designed by Mr D Shaw, the company gardener. The memorial was re-dedicated in 1969. In 2014 conservation and repair work was carried out, funded by War Memorials Trust.

Details

The memorial stands in a small garden on the south side of New Road. Built of sandstone, it is a tall Calvary with an octagonal shaft that stands on a tapering square plinth. A shield embossed with lettering is carved on the front face of the shaft below the crucifixion, and a small stone wreath ornaments the foot of the shaft. The plinth stands on a low, round, step. That is raised on a platform shaped in plan as a square intersecting a quatrefoil. A segment of stone stands in front of the plinth on the round step.

The principal inscription carved in raised letters on the front face of the plinth reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD, AND IN/ HONOURED MEMORY OF THE GALLANT/ MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES FOR KING AND COUNTRY AND FOR/ THE CAUSE OF LIBERTY AND RIGHT IN/ THE GREAT WAR. 1914 – 1919/ WE TRUST THEM, O LORD, TO THY LOVING CARE, with the names of those who fell in the First World War listed below and on the sides of the plinth, arranged by year. The rear face of the plinth bears the inscription “THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE”/ ECCLESIASTICUS XLIV 14. In addition, the stone segment placed in front of the plinth bears the incised inscription NAMES OF THE FALLEN 1939 – 1945 WAR/ (9 NAMES).

Staffordshire HER Details MonUID: MST22213 HER Number: 58345 Type of record: Monument Name: War Memorial, New Road, Armitage Summary

A memorial commemorating the men of the parish of Armitage who fought and died in the First and Second World War. The memorial, which comprises of sandstone Calvary set on a plinth, was originally unveiled in February 1920 , with the names of those who fought and died in the Second World War being added after the end of the conflict. The memorial was moved to its current location on New Road from the corner of Boat House Lane and Rugeley Road at some point after the Second World War. It was designed by Messrs Bridgeman and Sons of Lichfield and sits within a memorial garden designed by Mr D Shaw, the company gardener for Armitage Ware Ltd.

Grid Reference: SK 0838 1600 Map Sheet: SK01NE Parish: Armitage with Handsacre,

Map: Show location on Streetmap Monument Type(s): • WAR MEMORIAL (Erected, Post-1914 - 1920 AD to 1920 AD) • WAR MEMORIAL (First World War, Post-1914 - 1914 AD to 1918 AD) • WAR MEMORIAL (Second World War, Post-1914 - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Protected Status:

• Listed Building (II) 1429194: Armitage with Handsacre War Memorial

Full description

Armitage with Handsacre War Memorial was unveiled by Brigadier-General Stewart CMG DSO on 15 February 1920, in memory of the parishioners of Armitage who fell in the First World War. It was designed and executed by Messrs Bridgeman and Sons of Lichfield. After the Second World War an inscription on a new stone was added to the base in memory of those who fell in that conflict. The memorial was originally erected on the corner of Boat House Lane and Rugeley Road on a plot donated by Mr Hiram Moorcroft, but was moved circa 300 metres to the east to New Road at a later date. This ground was donated by Armitage Ware Ltd and the small memorial garden in which it now stands was designed by Mr D Shaw, the company gardener. The memorial was re-dedicated in 1969. Built of sandstone, it is a tall Calvary with an octagonal shaft that stands on a tapering square plinth. A shield embossed with lettering is carved on the front face of the shaft below the crucifixion, and a small stone wreath ornaments the foot of the shaft. The plinth stands on a low, round, step. That is raised on a platform shaped in plan as a square intersecting a quatrefoil. A segment of stone stands in front of the plinth on the round step. The principal inscription carved in raised letters on the front face of the plinth reads: 'TO THE GLORY OF GOD, AND IN/ HONOURED MEMORY OF THE GALLANT/ MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES FOR KING AND COUNTRY AND FOR/ THE CAUSE OF LIBERTY AND RIGHT IN/ THE GREAT WAR. 1914 – 1919/ WE TRUST THEM, O LORD, TO THY LOVING CARE' with the names of those who fell in the First World War listed below and on the sides of the plinth, arranged by year. The rear face of the plinth bears the inscription 'THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE / ECCLESIASTICUS XLIV 14'. In addition, the stone segment placed in front of the plinth bears the incised inscription 'NAMES OF THE FALLEN 1939 – 1945 WAR/ (9 NAMES)'.

The memorial has been proposed for listing (SB, 24-Aug-2015) <1>

Following assessment of the monument by Historic England in August-September 2015 the memorial was recommended for Listing at Grade II for the following principal reason: * Historic Interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20. (SB, 24-Sept-2015) <2>

Memorial condition Three specialist Masonry Contractors with experience in conservation and historical monument repairs were asked to examine and report on the memorial in 2020. In general they agreed that the memorial was is quite good condition and capable of being dismantled and refurbished before re-erection on its current site. The memorial is constructed from sandstone, possibly Hollington stone in reasonable condition given its age. The details on carvings and stone arisses are generally intact and the stone does not appear to be too friable. There are heavy carbon deposits to the carved calvary figure and the upper section of the cross, the shaft plinth and the cross base. There is heavy staining caused by bird droppings to the upper sections of the cross and the stone base. The inscription to the cross base is in good order. There are some open joints to the surrounding plinth stones. The cross in undoubtedly dowelled together through the shaft stones and also the plinth into the inscription block. The nature of the dowels is unknown but likely to be non-ferrous metal or granite, this will be established by careful dismantling.

Memorial Proposed Repair Works Please refer to drgs 559- 02 and 03 accompanying this application for details of the stone components of the memorial The memorial is to be dismantled and taken off site for factory repair and refurbishment. Dismantling will involve careful cutting though the joints of each stone section including the dowels and lowering to ground. Carefully storing on pallets and packing with softening before transport to the workshop location. The remnants of the existing dowels are to be carefully removed from each of the stone cut sections and prepared for new dowel inserts. Any damage to the stone indents to be repaired as necessary. Stonework is generally to be cleaned following small section sampling using JOS Torc and DOFF cleaning systems to assess the most appropriate method. Upon completion of the works and cleaning the memorial is to be returned to site and re- erected on a new prepared base in the current location. The new sections of sandstone are to be closely matched to the existing in colour and finish. The new plinth base is intended to lift the memorial by 450mm to facilitate the better placement of commemorative wreaths which currently lie flat on the grounds. To allow for the better pacing of commemorative poppies a new non ferrous square link and circle format chain is to be fixed tightly around the face of the mid plinth. This will allow for poppies to be inserted into the chain in a more fitting manner than currently possible.

New Memorial Context The refurbished memorial is to be positioned with 180 degree rotation to face a new paved courtyard area with seating and surface paved features generally in a clock face format all as evidence on the application drawing 559-01 and Design Statement. End