War Memorial

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

The Bushmills War Memorial entitled 'R.I.R' - (Royal Irish Rifles) is composed of a smooth granite two-stepped base and rough hewn plinth with a life size bronze figure of a soldier on top. Created and erected as a permanent memorial in 1921 by the Victorian sculptor Charles Leonard Hartwell (the builders were Messrs Christie) and it was officially unveiled on 5th November 1921 by Lady Macnaghten of Dundarave House. Prior to its unveiling it had been exhibited at the Royal Academy in London. The War Memorial is located in the centre of Market Square as an island where three roads converge in the centre of Bushmills village; Main Street, Lower Main Street and Bridge Street.

The inscriptions are contained on bronze plaques on the rough hewn granite plinth; there is also a bronze wreath to the South-west side.

On top of the plinth is a life size bronze figure of a soldier with an upraised rifle and bayonet facing South-west.

A plaque was later added to the memorial (to the SW side) for Robert Quigg (1885-1955) who was the recipient of the Victoria Cross for exceptional braveryat the Battle of the Somme during the First World War.

In 2009 a schedule of works were carried out on the memorial, this included the rebuilding of the granite plinth, cleaning of the stone face and the re-pointing of the stonework using hydraulic lime mortar. The figure of the solider, plaques and other bronze work were repaired.

The war memorial commemorates those from the village and surrounding district that dies in World War I and II.

Setting: The War Memorial is located in the centre of Market Square as an island where three roads converge in the centre of Bushmills village; Main Street, Lower Main Street and Bridge Street. It is located to the immediate west of the Clock Tower (HB05.08.078A) & the fomer library (HB05.08.078B).

Materials:
Statue Bronze
Base & Plinth Smooth cut granite & rough hewn granite
Plaques Bronze

Historical information

The War Memorial at Bushmills, a granite pedestal bearing a life-size bronze statue of a soldier, was constructed in Bushmill’s Market Square in 1921. The structure was erected at the centre of Bushmills as a permanent memorial to approximately 95 men from the village who gave their lives during the First World War (the names of an additional 33 men were subsequently added to the memorial following the Second World War). The Dictionary of Irish Architects notes that the war memorial was designed by Charles Leonard Hartwell (1873-1951), a London-based sculptor who was best known for his war-related work. Following the First World War Hartwell designed many prominent war memorials throughout the United Kingdom, the most important of which was the statue of St. George and the Dragon at Newcastle (1923). Hartwell continued to design war-related sculptures up until the 1940s making the memorial at Bushmills one of his earlier commissions in the inter-war period. Hartwell’s only other commission in Northern Ireland is the war memorial at the Mall in Armagh which was unveiled in 1926 (DIA).

During the war the Petty Sessions District of Bushmills had raised £3,000 for ‘war comforts and kindred objects’. In the aftermath of the conflict £1,300 of this fund was allocated to the erection of the memorial in the Market Square. The committee commissioned Hartwell to design the life-sized bronze statue and employed the Messers Christie, local building contractors, to construct the granite plinth. Hartwell designed the statue in the form of an Ulster rifleman possessing a rifle and bayonet. The Imperial War Museums website suggests that the statue depicts Private Robert Quigg of the 12th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, a local soldier who won the Victoria Cross at the Battle of the Somme, however research carried out by a local historical group has found that the statue bears no likeness to Quigg (Robert Quigg VC Commemoration Society website). Prior to having the sculpture mounted at Bushmills, Hartwell exhibited the bronze statue at the Royal Academy in London. The completed war memorial was officially unveiled on the 5th November 1921 by Lady Edith MacNaghten of Dundarave House, whose own sons had been killed in the war. There were no changes made to the war memorial at Market Square until after the Second World War when the names of an additional 33 men were added. A small memorial to Private Robert Quigg was added to the base of the memorial following Quigg’s death in 1955 (DIA; Ulster War Memorials website).

In 2009 the War Memorials Trust provided a grant of £2,500 towards a restoration of the war memorial in Bushmills. Under the schedule of works the granite plinth of the memorial was rebuilt (due to the existence of cracks in the original stone), whilst general repairs were made to the statue, plaques and other bronze works by a specialised metal conservator (War Memorials Trust).

References

Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/6/1/7/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1904)
2. PRONI OS/6/1/7/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1922)
3. First Survey Record – HB05/08/024

Secondary Sources
1. ‘Bushmills Conservation Area Guide’ Belfast: Department of the Environment (N. I.), 1983 – including the Ordnance Survey Town Plan of 1902.
2. Girvan, W. D., ‘Historic buildings, groups of buildings, areas of architectural importance in North Antrim’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1972.

Online Resources
1. Dictionary of Irish Architects - http://www.dia.ie/
2. Ulster War Memorials website – http://www.ulsterwarmemorials.net/html/bushmills__county_antrim.html
3. Robert Quigg VC Commemoration Society website - http://www.robertquiggvc.com/war-memorial
4. Imperial War Museums website - http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/6605
5. War Memorials Trust website - http://www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=727

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A granite and bronze War Memorial by renowned war sculptor Mr. Charles Leonard Hartwell, commemorating both World Wars and dating from 1920. The sculpture depicts a bronze statue of a soldier with bronze plaques depicting the names of the fallen dead. The memorial is of artistic merit and is a good example of its type. It occupies a prominent position in 'Market Square' located on an 'island' site dividing the Main Street within the village of Bushmills and is an important structure within Bushmills Conservation area.