War Memorial

Cadw's description

Location

The war memorial is set on a traffic island at the junction of Station Avenue with Church Street, near the centre of Chirk

History

The memorial was designed by the noted designer and sculptor Eric Gill and set up in 1919-1920 after the Great War, commissioned by Lord Howard de Walden of Chirk Castle. A further inscription was added after 1945.

Exterior

A simple tapered square obelisk of Portland Stone set on a round nosed low step, the riser curved back. The top of the obelisk is gabled at 45 degrees on each angle. On the S face there is a bas-relief hunched figure of a great-coated and helmeted soldier, holding his rifle and bayonet. Below, an elegantly lettered inscription to the 'habitants & indwellers of the parish of Chirk' who died in the conflict of 1914-1919. On the sides, the names of 66 men, also carved in bold Roman capitals. On the rear, the inscription in Welsh to 'Wyr y Waun'. Below the names of 19 men killed in the 1939-1945 war have been added. Around the monument and below the inscriptions, cut in larger capitals, the further, slightly plaintive, inscription 'AND IN RIGHTEOUNESS HE DOTH JUDGE & MAKE WAR REV.XIX'

Reason for designation

Included at II* as a remarkable war memorial by a pre-eminent British sculptor and designer, where great dignity has been achieved by the austerity of the form, the pathos of the figured relief and the spare elegance of the lettering. A monument occupying a prominent position in the Chirk conservation area.