A Grade II listed war memorial representing two North Shields communities has been repaired for the second time in three years.
The Murton and New York Cross stands on Murton Lane as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by local people during the First World War.
North Tyneside Council restored the 101-year-old sandstone Celtic cross in November 2019, working with the War Memorials Trust and the First World War memorials programme, after cracks started to appear.
The cross was swept from its plinth and broken into several pieces when Storm Arwen struck in November 2021, and the council has now repaired and reinstated the memorial for a second time.
A slate plaque inscribed with the names of 68 local men who perished in the Great War was damaged by the falling cross and is set to be replaced in the New Year.
The restoration coincides with the start of an annual cleaning programme to make sure the borough’s war memorials are looking their best in time for the council’s Remembrance Services.
North Tyneside’s Elected Mayor, Norma Redfearn CBE, said: “It was very upsetting to see the damage caused to the cross by Storm Arwen, especially after all the work that went into its restoration the first time.
“There were serious doubts about whether it could be repaired again, so I am delighted that we have found a way, working with local conservation experts and the War Memorials Trust. It’s only right that the cross was repaired so that the memory of those who lost their lives in the war endures for future generations.
“Many of our memorials are very old, fragile, and costly to repair, and the council must seek expert guidance and funding to get the work done. We are exploring ways to restore the memorials on Hawkey’s Lane in North Shields, another in Dudley, and the Boer War memorial in Tynemouth.
“My thanks to everyone involved in this project.”
Council staff will carry out additional cleaning and maintenance of war memorials ahead of Remembrance Day services on Friday 11 November and on Remembrance Day, Sunday 13 November.
Memorials to receive additional cleaning for Remembrance Day:
- Hawkey’s Lane, North Shields
- Backworth Green, Backworth
- Earsdon Road, Shiremoor
- Bridge Street, Seaton Burn
- Cenotaph, Whitley Bay
- Archer Street, Holy Cross
- Front Street, Earsdon
- Cenotaph, Tynemouth Green
