Memorials

A selection of images showing a wide rangs of memorials recording the lives of individual people, disasters, epidemics and deeds of heroism.

Add to My Favourites Reproduced by permission of Oxfordshire County Council Rufus Stone, Stoney Cross, Minstead, Hampshire This monument was put up by Earl de la Warr in 1745 and encased in iron in the 19th century. It marks the site of an oak tree. In 1100, Walter Tyrrell fired an arrow at a stag during the Royal Hunt, but the arrow glanced off this tree and killed William II. He was also known by the Nickname: The Red King or Rufus. The nickname comes from the Latin word, meaning "reddish". This referred to William's ruddy complexion and red cheeks - his hair was not red it was long & blond.	Add to My Favourites Mr Michael Rockett. Source English Heritage.NMR Queen Eleanor's Cross, Geddington, Northamptonshire This memorial cross was built in 1290. It is in memory of Eleanor of Castile, wife of Edward I. Queen Eleanor died on the 28th November 1290 at Harby in Nottinghamshire. Her funeral procession passed from Lincoln to Westminster in December. This cross marks the resting place of Queen Eleanor's body on the night of the 6th-7th December 1290. Originally there were 12 of these crosses. Now only 3 are left (the others are at Hardingstone and Waltham) and this is the best preserved. It is also unusual in that it incorporates a (public) water supply within a royal memorial. This site is now in the care of English Heritage (2010). Read official list description.
Add to My Favourites Mr David J Lewis LRPS. Source English Heritage.NMR Cholera Monument, Church of the Holy Trinity, Paulton, Bath & North East Somerset A monument in the churchyard of Holy Trinity Church commemorating 23 men, 23 women and 26 children who died in the 1832 cholera epidemic. The disease struck Paulton from 28th September until 10th November and the victims are buried in the churchyard. A ' vagabond match seller from Bath ' who was blamed for bringing it to the village is also buried here. A further 62 people died here in another cholera epidemic in 1849. Read official list description.	Add to My Favourites Mr George Wolfe. Source English Heritage.NMR Riley Graves, Riley Lane, Eyam, Derbyshire These six gravestones and tomb, enclosed by a stone wall, are actually the graves of the whole Hancock family. They all died of plague in Eyam and were buried here in Riley's Field. The inscriptions read;'ALICE HANCOCKE BUR AUG 9th 1666', 'ANN HANCOCKE, BUR AUG 10th 1666', 'WILLIAM HANCOCKE BUR AUG 17th 1666', 'JOHN HANCOCKE JUN BUR AUG 3rd 1666', 'ELIZABETH HANCOCKE BUR AUG 3rd 1666' and 'ONER HANCOCKE BUR AUG 7th 1666. The plague came into Eyam in a parcel of material which contained fleas that were carrying the disease. The villagers decided to cut themselves off from the rest of the country so they would not spread the disease further. Read official list description.
Add to My Favourites Mr Cyril Selby LRPS, LMPA. Source English Heritage.NMR Martyrs' Memorial, Culfail, Lewes, East Sussex The Martyrs' memorial was constructed in 1901 and was unveiled by the Earl of Portsmouth. Since its unveiling there has been an annual commemoration at the foot of the memorial for the Martyrs. The Inscription panel on the memorial reads: 'In loving memory of the undernamed seventeen protestant martyrs who, for their faithful testimony to God's truth were, during the reign of Queen Mary, burned to death in front of the then Star Inn now the Town Hall". Read official list description.	Add to My Favourites Ms Pamela Jackson LRPS. Source English Heritage.NMR Monument to Sarah Lees, Werneth Park, Oldham, Greater Manchester This monument to Sarah Lees was put up in c1938 by the townspeople of Oldham. She was a leading local philanthropist and public figure. She was the first woman on Oldham town council in 1907 and mayor in 1910. She was only the second female mayor in the country. On her death in 1935 she left her former home of Werneth Park to the town. Read official list description.
Add to My Favourites Reproduced by permission of English Heritage.NMR Memorial to a Merchant, The Edward Colston Monument, Bristol This monument was put up in 1895 to Edward Colston. It stands in Colston Avenue, Bristol. Colston took a very active part in the financing and planning of the African slave trade in the 17th century. He used his wealth charitably including founding schools, hospitals and almshouses. His name is very common in Bristol as streets and buildings have been named after him. There is even a Colston's day celebration for Bristol schools.	Add to My Favourites Mr J E Todd LRPS. Source English Heritage.NMR Mining Monument, Felling, Tyne and Wear This is a memorial to 91 people killed at Felling Colliery in May 1812. The youngest was aged 8. After this accident the rector of Heworth, John Hodgson, set about forming the Society for the Prevention of Accidents in Coal Mines. He also encouraged Sir Humphrey Davy in the development of his safety lamp. Read official list description.
Add to My Favourites Mr Geoffrey Farrow. Source English Heritage.NMR Hoppers Memorial, Church of St Mary, Church Street, Hadlow, Kent This memorial commemorates 30 hop pickers who drowned in 1853. Their ages ranged from 18-50 years along with 4 infants under 6 years old, and included 16 members of the Leatherhead family. The hop pickers were in a cart which was swept into the swollen river Medway. Read official list description.	Add to My Favourites Mr Stuart Brighton. Source English Heritage.NMR Byrnes Monument, Hesket, Cumbria This roadside monument has an inscription which reads; HERE CONSTABLE JOSEPH BYRNES FELL ON THE NIGHT OF OCTOBER 29 1885, SHOT BY THE THREE NETHERBY BURGLARS WHOM HE SINGLE HANDED ENDEAVOURED TO ARREST. It was restored in 1911. Read official list description.
Add to My Favourites Ms Linda Margaret Simmonds. Source English Heritage.NMR Monument to James Braidwood, Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington, Greater London This is a monument to James Braidwood (1800-61). He was a leading fireman of his day. He did much to establish the profession of fire fighting. From 1832 he was the superintendent of the Fire Engine Establishment. He lost his life in the great Tooley Street fire of 22 June 1861. He was buried here on 29 June as a national hero. Read official list description.	Add to My Favourites Mr S. Charles ARPS. Source English Heritage.NMR Grave of Thomas Port, Church Hill, Harrow, Greater London This grave is in the parish church of St Mary. It has the inscription "To the memory of THOMAS PORT Son of John Port of Burton-on-Trent, in the County of Staffordshire, Hat Manufacturer, who near this town had both his legs severed from his body by the railway train, with great fortitude he bore a second amputation by the surgeons and died from loss of blood, August 7 1838 Aged 33 years." Train travel at this time was still a relatively new form of transport and these types of accident would have been new and even more shocking to most people. Read official list description.
Add to My Favourites Mr John Lishman. Source English Heritage.NMR Memorial to Captain Webb, Dawley, Telford and Wrekin This lion head drinking fountain has an inscription dedicated to Captain Matthew Webb, who was born in Dawley in 1848. He was the first person to swim the English Channel. He died in an attempt to swim the Niagara Rapids in 1883. Read official list description.	Add to My Favourites Mr F. Bryan Basketter LRPS. Source English Heritage.NMR Mark Addy Memorial, Cemetery Road, Salford, Greater Manchester This is a memorial to Mark Addy. It was built in 1890-91 and paid for by the people of Salford. In May 1891 1,000 people attended it's unveiling. It has an inscription that tells how Addy "saved more than fifty persons from drowning in the River Irwell for which he received amongst other rewards the Albert medal (first class) from the Queen." Addy was a publican, swimmer and rower. He lived and worked next to the River Irwell all his life and repeatedly saved people from drowning - making him a local hero. He died of tuberculosis, which he caught after diving into the polluted waters of the Irwell to save a small boy from drowning. Read official list description.
Add to My Favourites Mr Nigel Gallant LRPS. Source English Heritage.NMR Memorial to George Beloe, Church Plain, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk This is the grave stone of George Beloe. It was made in 1845 and has a carving of the Yarmouth suspension bridge collapsing on it. Its inscription reads `Sacred/ to the memory of/ George H.J. Beloe/ the beloved son of/ Louisa Beloe/ who was unfortunately drowned/ by the fall/ of the suspension bridge/ the 2nd of May 1845/ aged 9 years'. He was one of 79 children who died when the bridge collapsed. They were watching a clown in a barrel being pulled down the river by some geese. As the clown went under the bridge all the children rushed to the other side and the bridge gave way. Read official list description.	Add to My Favourites Mr David N. Gifford. Source English Heritage.NMR The Duel Stone, Holt Road, Cawston, Norfolk This stone monument commemorates a duel fought on 20th August, 1668, between Sir Henry Hobart of Blickling Hall and Oliver le Neve of Great Witchingham Hall. Hobart was mortally wounded during the duel. He died the next day at Blickling and legend has it that his dying groans can still be heard. The monument is said to have been erected by W. Wiggell Bulwer of Wood Dalling. Neve fled to Holland after the duel which was fought without seconds (men to support each dueller) and therefore illegal. When he returned he was tried but acquitted. This was the last duel fought in Norfolk.Read official list description.