The war memorial which stands proudly in the centre of the small town of Chirk is very different to any other I have come across during my research. The temptation when selecting a design for a war memorial was of course to opt for a traditional style - classical, gothic or celtic perhaps. The people of Chirk, however, showed no small amount of courage by choosing Art Deco, something of a cutting-edge style at the time. Standing in the centre of the main road junction, the memorial consists of a striking obelisk of white Portland stone with the figure in relief of a soldier, bent over his rifle and wearing a long coat and helmet. His left hand is held upright with the palm facing outwards. The symbolism here is not entirely clear but it may represent a warning to stop or perhaps some form of benediction or blessing.
The inscription carved into the base of the memorial refers rather quaintly to the "incomers and habitants of the parish of Chirk" who died during the First World War. It is the beauty and elegance of the lettering however which sets it apart. The reason for this lies in the town's choice of sculptor for its memorial. Eric Gill (1882-1940) was a pre-eminent sculptor and engraver at the time but is now best known for the design of 'fonts', many of which we still use on our laptops and computers to this day. Best known perhaps are Perpetua (commissioned by WH Smith for their advertising signs) and one which still bears his name - Gill Sans. Gill was initially apprenticed as an architect but became disillusioned and took evening classes in stonemasonry followed by a course in calligraphy at the Central School of Arts and Crafts.
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| Eric Gill |
He went on to set up something of a commune in Ditchling in Sussex where he gathered round him family, friends and other artists. From here, and later from a similar venture at Capel-y-ffin in the Black Mountain near Llanthony, he undertook some important commissions including the 'stations of the cross' in Westminster Cathedral, a group of sculptures of Prospero and Ariel for the BBC's Broadcasting House in London and a series of bas-reliefs for the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem.Gill designed several other war memorials after the First World War including the Grade II* listed Trumpinton memorial. When commissioned to produce a war memorial for the University of Leeds he produced a frieze depicting Jesus driving the money-changers from the temple. Gill contended that the "money men" were a key cause of the war, but the work attracted no small amount of controversy.
His work on the Chirk memorial may be less well known but its striking beauty and elegance should not be under-estimated or indeed overlooked.
