Albrighton WWI Calvary

Early colourised photo, circa 1920s/30s 9date taken approx) - Taken by Not known 01 Jan 1920

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Albrighton War Memorial - Taken by nobody aka Ian S. 31 Mar 2016

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Albrighton War Memorial - Taken by Ian S (geograph) licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons License 31 Mar 2016

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Albrighton War Memorial - Taken by Ian S (geograph) licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons License 31 Mar 2016

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Albrighton war memorial - Taken by Patricia Hughes 27 Jan 2018

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Iron work under canopy shows corrosion - Taken by John Stretton 07 Aug 2019

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An addtional plinth has cut through the original biblical text - Taken by John stretton 07 Aug 2019

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Names on the cross show varnish peeling - Taken by John stretton 07 Aug 2019

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Reference WMO/86498

Address:

High Street

opp Rectory Road

Albrighton

WV7 3EQ

England

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War Memorials Trust case: War Memorials Trust needs to avoid Contributors changing location/description details as we help to protect and conserve this war memorial through our casework. You can still add photographs, update condition and use the tabs below. If you believe any of the information you cannot edit is wrong or information is missing, please make a note of the reference number and include it in your email when you contact us.

Status: On original site

Type: Freestanding

Location: External

Setting: Roadside

Description: Calvary

Materials:

Stone Stone (any)
Timber Timber (any)

Lettering: Incised

Conflicts:

First World War (1914-1918)
Second World War (1939-1945)

About the memorial: Albrigton war memorial stands on Newport Road. The Grade II listed memorial is a two metre high timber calvary with the figure of Christ carved from Olive wood. There is a large curved canopy over the figure of Christ, which is in contrast to the usual pitched roofs seen on calvary memorials. The inscriptions are carved on the face of the vertical column of the cross. The memorial is within a paved area reached from the roadside through a gate attached to a stone wall. After the end of the First World War a committee was set up in 1919 to organise for the erection of a memorial to commemorate all those from the parish of Albrighton who had been killed during the conflict. The architect for the project was John Campbell (1878 - 1947), originally from nearby Wolverhampton. He had started working for Bayliss, Jones and Bayliss after finishing school before moving to the School of Art and becoming Drawing Master. In 1902 he moved to Germany and set up as a designer and architect. He was appointed Professor of Architecture at the University of Munich just before the outbreak of the War and ended up in an internment camp for the duration of the conflict. The project to create the memorial was his first commission after he returned to England and joined Falconer, Baker and Campbell based in Amberley, Gloucestershire. His design was based around the Calvary cross. The Memorial was erected on old sandstone quarry adjacent to Newport Road donated by a Mr & Mrs Heatley who owned St Cuthbert’s Grange, a 19th century located close by but has since been demolished. The memorial was made by sculptor William Aumonier, of Messrs Aumonier of London. It was founded by his father, William Aumonier in 1876 and was located on Tottenham Court Road. William Junior continued in his father’s footsteps until the 1930’s after the premises had moved to nearby Charlotte Street. Like many firms after the War, it received several commissions to build war memorials. The cross was carved in oak and teak with a sheet copper hood. The decorative ironwork to the canopy of the cross and the entrance gates was forged by the master blacksmith, Alfred Bucknell. He is believed to be the blacksmith who had a forge in Amberley (near the architect’s practice) and was used by many leading Arts and Crafts architects. Alfred Bucknell was the son of William Bucknell, a blacksmith and wheelwright originally based in Tunley, Gloucestershire. Alfred started his career with Gimson setting up a forge at Sapperton, close to Cirencester, making ecclesiastical fittings, furniture fittings, ironmongery, firedogs, and candle sconces. After Gimson’s death Alfred Bucknell set up an independent business in Waterlane and continued creating fine metalwork pieces. Alfred was commissioned to forge the decorative scrolland leaf work piece to the top of the cross, as well as forming the copper hood and iron support frame. The memorial was completed and dedicated by the Archdeacon of Salop on 18th September 1920. The twenty-nine names of the fallen are carved into the front of the stem of the cross. It cost a little over £ 500 to make, over the original budget of £ 330. The names of a further nine servicemen were added to the Memorial after the Second World War. The Memorial consists of an oak crucifix with carved wooden figure (teak) of Christ set into a stone plinth. There is a semi-circular copper canopy to the top of the crucifix springing off the arms of the cross supported on iron frame sections. There is decorative scroll and leaf work fixed on top of the cross upright.

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Date Submitted:

Work Proposed:

Repairs to the original/historic/physical war memorial including structural or conservation works: or works which are required to enable the war memorial to continue to function

Status:

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Comments:

See 23/02306/LBC (Shorpshire Council) for the approved application for " Works to carefully take down the calvary, packing as method statement, remove the timber cross, sculpture, copper canopy and wrought iron support to the workshop for specialist repair, fit the new steel support to the existing timber shaft, carefully conserving all the inscriptions, replace the existing concrete and stone plinth with new stone steps and matching carved plinth to Architects original design on a new concrete base, salvaging the inscription stone for relocation, refix the repaired timber calvary and copper hood on the new plinth, point the new stone base in lime mortar and renew all protective finishes like for like to timber and metal components. Minor like for like repairs to the iron gate and boundary wall and reset the salvaged plaque in the wall of the planter affecting a Grade II Listed Building"

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Names:

1939-1945 G Davies/T P J Heatley/E A Bunting/H A Pemberton/A Skerratt/A J Willcock/F Pearson/A F Turner 1914-1918 J P Bishton/H Cartwright/J Cartwright/H Corns/A Dyke/E Dyke/T Houghton/J Jones/R Jones/M Laurence/E Leadbeater/R Leadbeater/G Lycett/J Macham/W Marshall/E Paul/C Pitchford/O Pitchford/H S Powell/P T Priestley/J Reeves/F Shingler/J E Shingler/B Thomas/H Thorne/C Totts/J Wakelam/R E Wood/F W Yates

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Listing grade:

Grade II (England)

Listing URL:

https://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1392640

Unique listing reference number:

1392640

Conservation area:

Donington and Albrighton (checked 30/11/23)

Local list / Historic environment record:

Information Required

Claim Custodianship

Custodian name:

Albrighton Parish Council

Custodian website:

https://albrightonparishcouncil.gov.uk/