Holme, Holmfirth and Newmill War Memorial
Details
- also known as: Holme, Holmfirth and Newmill Memorial Cross / Holme Valley War Memorial
- location: in the grounds of the Holme Valley Memorial Hospital, Holmfirth
- status: still exists
- category: war memorial
The monument includes panels for Cartworth, Fulstone, Hade Edge, Hepworth, Holmbridge, Holme, Holmfirth, Netherthong, Scholes, Thongsbridge, Underbank, Upperthong, and Wooldale.
Inscriptions
proud and grateful memory
of these
our sons, who died for
ENGLAND
in the Great War
1914 – 1919
The people
of Holme, Holmfirth and
New Mill
have erected the
Monument & Hospital
A.D. 1920
Oh England, sometimes think of them
As once they thought of you
Holme & Holmebridge
Underbank
Cartworth
Holmfirth
Upperthong
Wooldale
Netherthong & Thongsbridge
Fulstone
Hepworth & Scholes
Hade Edge
Second World War
Historic England Listing
- Grade II
- first listed 12 August 2015
- listing entry number 1428327
Holme Valley Memorial Hospital, and the Holme, Holmfirth and Newmill Memorial Cross standing in the hospital grounds, were conceived together to commemorate the men from Holmfirth District who fell in the First World War. The scheme was led by Dr RH Trotter and funded by public subscription. The hospital (which is not listed) opened in 1919, and the memorial cross was unveiled in July 1921 by Colonel HR Headlam. Details commemorating those servicemen from the district who fell during the Second World War were added at a later date. Conservation and repair work to the memorial cross was carried out in 2007, funded by War Memorials Trust.
Holme, Holmfirth and Newmill Memorial Cross stands on a raised platform in front of Holme Valley Memorial Hospital, in the hospital gardens. It forms the focus of the approach to the hospital from the main road to the south-east. The garden path ends in stone steps rising to the memorial, through a break in the curved stone retaining wall of the platform. Paths either side of the platform meet the rear wall, also providing access.
The tall memorial cross, in granite, consists of a budded Latin cross set on an octagonal shaft with a moulded foot. Draped over the arms of the cross is a carved stone wreath, and a reversed sword is carved in relief on the front face of the cross. The shaft rises from a stepped, octagonal, plinth. An inscription on the front face of the plinth reads REMEMBER. The plinth stands on a shallow, octagonal, base.
Behind the memorial cross, a retaining wall in York stone marks the rear of the platform. The wall is balustraded. Flights of stone steps at each end of the wall rise from the platform to the hospital terrace above. A central projection in the wall, surmounted by a pediment with a broken cornice, bears a granite panel on which is inscribed the principal dedication IN / PROUD AND GRATEFUL MEMORY / OF THESE, / OUR SONS, WHO DIED FOR / ENGLAND / IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1919 / THE PEOPLE/ OF HOLME, HOLMFIRTH, AND / NEWMILL / HAVE ERECTED THIS / MONUMENT & HOSPITAL / A.D. 1920. / + / OH ENGLAND, SOMETIMES THINK OF THEM, / AS ONCE THEY THOUGHT OF YOU. Above this panel and let into the pediment is a coronet carved in relief, in granite. To the left of the panel is a wreath, carved in relief and encircling 1914; to the right, a similar wreath encircles 1919. Both wreaths are also in granite.
Granite panels let into the wall record the commemorated names. The inscriptions are carved, with inlaid, black-painted, metal letters.
(first panel) HOLME VALLEY 1939 – 45 / (50 NAMES)
(second panel) HOLM AND HOLMEBRIDGE / (51 NAMES)
(third panel) (11 NAMES) / UNDERBANK / 30 NAMES / CARTWORTH / (8 NAMES)
(fourth panel) HOLMFIRTH / (50 NAMES)
(fifth panel) UPPERTHONG / (25 NAMES) / WOOLDALE / (25 NAMES)
(sixth panel) NETHERTHONG & THONGSBRIDGE / (30 NAMES) / FULSTONE / 20 NAMES)
(seventh panel) (12 NAMES) / HEPWORTH & SCHOLES / (22 NAMES)/ HADE EDGE / 16 NAMES)
(eighth panel) HOLME VALLEY 1939 – 45 / (50 NAMES)
Gallery
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Location
The following map shows locations linked to those named on the memorial:
Links
- Kirklees Museums & Galleries: Holme Valley
- War Memorials Online: Holme Valley
- Imperial War Museum: Holme, Holmfirth and Newmill
Notes and References
- ↑ Possibly Arthur Coldwell (c.1885?-1917).
- ↑ 2nd Lt Tom Birkhead of 2/7 Bn Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Name added to the memorial in 2022.