Browse this website Close this menu
Worksop - St Mary and St Cuthbert Priory Church

The war memorial is the restored chapel in the priory church. Harold Brakspear, a well-known church architect, was appointed to restore the chapel. Oak panels with the names of those who died in the war were installed on the south wall of the chapel. The panels were not seasoned and were later replaced. Stone tablets on the north wall of the chapel give the history of the chapel and includes the words, 'After a lapse of nearly four centuries it was restored for the worship of God and in perpetual memory of the men of the parish of Worksop who fell in the Great War 1914-1918. It was consecrated by Edwyn Lord Bishop of Southwell on the 20th day of July 1922. CJA Darcy canon of Southwell being vicar, Henry VIIth Duke of Newcastle and Sydney W Pennington being wardens and John P Forrest acting warden.' The service was led by the Bishops of Southwell and Derby. The chapel is now more commonly known as the Lady Chapel (See 'Whose Memorial?' by Robert Ilett and 'Hidden in Plain Sight, Worksop's other war memorial', Robert Ilett, 'East Midlands History & Heritage', Issue 09, September 2019.) The priory church received a gift of two candlesticks which were originally in a French church: Southwell Diocesan Magazine, Vol 3 (NS) June 1930, No 6 (p101), Worksop Deanery. 'The beautiful gift of a pair of candlesticks has been given to the Church by Mrs Weaver and her family, in memory of Mr James Weaver. There is an inscription to this effect round the base of one of them. Their history is an interesting one. At the forward movement of the British Army in 1918, in some captured trenches a lot of loot was found, mostly taken from churches, and amongst this were these candlesticks. There was a set of six of them, which were divided up among the Tommies, each taking one as far as they went. On returning home, Mrs Weaver’s brother gave her his one, and afterwards at her request obtained a second one from a comrade, in order to make a pair. As they belonged to the Church before, it was always Mrs Weaver’s intention that they should be given back to some church at her death, but now she has anticipated this by giving them to the Priory, where they will form a valuable addition to the property of the building, and be of distinct use in the service of God. Round the base of the candlesticks are the heads of Our Lord, and some of His Apostles, easily recognisable.' (University of Nottingham, Manuscripts and Special Collections)

Identified casualties 442 people
Names on this memorial
Photographs