Skip to main content

    War MemorialsRegister

    • Home
    • Search Memorials
    • Search Names
    • Help
    Imperial War Museums LogoImperial War Museums home
    • About
      • About us
      • Submit a photograph
      • Volunteering
    • Legal
      • Accessibility Statement
      • Cookies
      • Copyright
      • Privacy
      • Terms of use

    © Imperial War Museums 2026

    Memorial

    St Mary's Ince-in-Makerfield WW1 - Reredos and Parishioners' Plaque

    The Reredos in the Old Church

    Source: Copyright Rev David Long

    1/7

    Current Location

    Christ Church, South transept, Junction of Ince Green Lane and Church Street , Ince in Makerfield , Wigan, Greater Manchester, WN3 4RJ , England

    OS Grid Reference

    SD 59565 04838

    Names listed on this memorial

    Contribute to the War Memorials Register

    Send us details and photographs of your local war memorials, to help enhance the information about the people, places and events they commemorate.

    Contribute now

    This record shows everything IWM currently knows about this memorial. We are continually updating our records.

    © WMR-27485

    To share information or photographs, contact us.

    Type of Memorial
    Church Fabric / Fitting: Reredos or screen
    WMR Reference Number
    27485
    Description
    The Reredos is lost. It was disposed of when the original church was demolished in 1978. It was described as an ornate painted and gilded Reredos, with figures of Our Lady and St John beside the crucified Christ at its centre. The central lower panel contained an inscription which recorded that it was the War Memorial. There were two associated wooden plaques - one for the Parishioners (recorded here), and one for the son and daughter of a benefactor of the church (WMR 27486). The frame of the latter was re-used as the frame for a replacement WW2 Memorial (WMR 75203) during a major refurbishment of the new church in 2002. Each stated that the Reredos was erected in memory of those commemorated on each board. The plaques, mounted on oak backboards, have elaborate painted frames with gilded roses in relief at intervals and scrolled corners. The inscriptions are painted, mainly in black, with some rubricated initials in the dedication, and a rubricated text along the bottom. There are symbols for St Mary beside the title lines with a floral frieze running between them. Flowers divide the four columns of names.
    Inscription
    On the reredos: Side panels: Greater love hath/ no man than this/ that a man lay down/ his life for his friends Central panel: Pro Deo . Pro Patria/ To the Glory of God/ and in proud and grateful/ memory of those from this/ Parish who laid down their/ lives in the Great War 1914-8/ This Reredos is erected by/ the Parishioners and Friends On the accompanying larger plaque: 1914/ The Reredos in the Chancel/ was erected in loving memory/ of/ 1919/ (Names)/ Their names shall be held in everlasting remembrance
    War
    First World War (1914-1918)
    Number Commemorated
    125
    Died
    125
    Information shown
    Surname, initials, award
    Order of names
    Surname, initials, award
    Additional Information
    As originally installed, the plaque bore 118 names
    Maker(s)
    • JAMES LENEGAN, Wood Carver

    • MESSRS FARMER & YOUNG ARCHITECTS, Architect

    Sponsor Type
    public

    Ceremonies

    Unveiled

    09/07/1921

    Dr Chavasse, Bishop of Liverpool, Sir JS Harmood-Banner, Mrs Minshull Ford, Major Houghton, Messrs. HS Woodcock Jp, CW Eames JP, H Carruthers, Revd. S Bryson (Vicar), and other clergy, local Councillors, employees of Pearson & Knowles

    Dedicated

    09/07/1921

    Dr Chavasse, Bishop of Liverpool, Sir JS Harmood-Banner, Mrs Minshull Ford, Major Houghton, Messrs. HS Woodcock Jp, CW Eames JP, H Carruthers, Revd. S Bryson (Vicar), and other clergy, local Councillors, employees of Pearson & Knowles

    Rededicated

    November 2002

    Revd. David Long, local Councillors

    Previous Location(s)

    • St Mary's (new) Church, Warrington Road, Ince-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Greater Manchester, WN3 4NH, England

      OS Grid Reference

      SD 59170 04254

      Denomination

      Church of England

      Year of move

      2023

      Reason for move

      St Mary's Church never re-opened after closure in the Covid 19 pandemic and was formally closed in 2021.

    • St Mary's (old) Church, Warrington Road, Ince-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Greater Manchester, England

      OS Grid Reference

      SD 580 050

      Denomination

      Church of England

      Year of move

      1978

      Reason for move

      The church was demolished in 1978, and the congregation moved across the road to the former Infants' School of the Parish, which was converted for the purpose. Most of the furniture and fittings from the old church were disposed of, with no record being made of their eventual fate. The reredos was one of the fittings which was lost at this time. The accompanying plaques were kept, but were not put on display. In 2001/2 extensive refurbishment was carried out in the new church. Space became available to create a Memorial area at the back of the church and the plaques were brought out of storage. The large plaque commemorating parishioners who fell was renovated and installed in the space, but the plaque to the Banner family was dismantled. The board itself remains in storage in the choir vestry of the present St Mary’s church. The frame, which matches the main plaque, was renovated and used to carry the replacement WW2 plaque, WMR 75203.

    Custodian
    The Parochial Church Council for Wigan

    Components

    Board

    Height: 800MM

    Width: 1500MM

    Depth: 50MM


    Made from: Wood - Oak


    Condition: Good


    • Wigan Observer, 27/01/1920: Report of theLiverpool Diocesan Consistory Court - to permit reredos featuring Christ in Majesty on the Cross, with St Mary and St John on either side, but advised that the panels bearing the names, which had been proposed to be set either side of the reredos, should be placed elsewhere, to avoid distracting communicants.
    • Wigan Observer, 14/07/1921: Report of the unveiling and dedication of the memorials, with descriptions of them, and lists of those named on them.