Memorial details

Memorial type
Window
District
Wigan
Town
Highfield
County
Greater Manchester
Country
England
Commemoration
First World War (1914-1918)
Maker
Messrs. Hardman & Son, Birmingham
Messrs. Whippell and Co., of Exeter and London
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 25/09/1920
    Attended by: Major C Blundell OBE
  • Dedicated
    Date: 25/09/1920
    Attended by: The Rt. Revd. Dr Chavasse, Lord Bishop of Liverpool
  • Show More (1)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
27897

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Current location

On the South wall
opposite the main entrance to the church
ST MATTHEWS CHURCH
Billinge Rd
Highfield
Wigan
Greater Manchester
WN3 6QB
England

OS Grid Ref: SD 55512 03827
Denomination: Church of England

View location on Google Maps
Description
Four lights, two each side of a marble tablet on an alabaster surround. The two left-hand lights depict Christ, in the left-hand light, standing over a wooden cross upon the ground, and showing the mark of a nail in his hand, whilst holding the martyr's crown to be presented to the kneeling recipient in the right-hand light. Two crowned martyrs stand behind Christ, and two more, together with St George, stand behind the recipient. A biblical text is inscribed on a scroll at the bottom of the windows. In the two right-hand lights are depicted two episodes from the story of David and Jonathan - the farewell of David and Jonathan in the left-hand light, and David's lament on the harp over the death of Jonathan in the right-hand light. David is shown with a halo - as a knight in the first light, and as King in the second. Jonathan is being borne dead off the battlefield by two men dressed as knights. The alabaster surround to the marble tablet has a semicircular arch at its centre, in which a carved cross rising out of a crown is set within a laurel wreath with ribbons below. The pilasters are dark alabaster columns on pedestals and supporting corniced pedestals. The inscriptions are incised and painted.
Inscription
On the windows: Left-hand lights: When the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive/ a crown of glory that fated not away. 1 Peter, V 4; Right-hand lights: Jonathan arose & went to David & strengthened his hand in God. I Samuel XXIII.16/ I am distressed for thee my brother Jonathan, thy love to me was wonderful. II Samuel I. 26 On the tablet: This tablet and the four adjoining windows are erected to the Glory/ of God and in grateful memory of the following men from this/ Church and Parish who gave their lives in the Great War 1914-1919/ Names/ "Until the day day dawn"
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Allen, James H
Anders, William
Ashcroft, Harold
Ashcroft, Harold G
Atherton, George
Ball, Samuel
Ball, William
Banks, Albert N
Barton, John
Bilsborough, Thomas
See details for all 51 names
Commemorations
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 51
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 51
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Surname, Christian name
    Order of information: Surname, Christian name
Components
  • Plaques
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Marble and alabaster
  • Window
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stained Glass
Listing information
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Responsibility
The Parochial Church Council
Reference
  • Wigan Observer: 02/10/1920: Report of the unveiling and dedication
  • Wigan Observer, 24/04/1920: Resolution of the Easter Vestry Meeting to apply to the Consistory Court for the erection of a window (sic) and tablet on the South wall as a war memorial.
  • Website by Nick Cross with details of those commemorated on the memorial: stmatthews1914-1919.yolasite.com

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

This information is made available under a Creative Commons BY-NC licence.

This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement:

© WMR-27897

For queries, please contact [email protected].