War and Peace Memorial In Old Eldon Square

When out around Newcastle's shopping malls, this elegant area is awash with history and worth a closer look.

Eldon Square was designed by John Dobson around 1824 and a statue of Lord Eldon was considered, but never came to fruition. At the start of the 1900s, there was a pedestal with an ornate lamp.

Then in 1923 a statue of St. George and the Dragon by Charles Hartwell (1873 to 1951) was erected.

This is the second casting, and is called War and Peace

The first casting is (now on a roundabout) near Lords Cricket Ground, London, and is a memorial to the men of Marylebone who gave their lives in the First World War.

This second casting (1923) was in the same year as the first. Paid for by public subscription, Councillor Sir Arthur Sutherland started a 'Shilling Fund' with a target of 20,000 shilling. It actually raised over 30,000 which is £15,000 in modern money. Field Marshall Earl Haig unveiled it with over 1,000 people taking part in the 'pilgrimage of homage', publicly acknowledging this memorial and its meaning to commemorate those who had given their lives in the First World War.

Saint George is cast in bronze and sits defiantly on his horse slaying the dragon. You can see the spear go through the dragon's head.

Saint George is the patron saint of England (and at least 11 other places) and is celebrated on the 23rd April. The red cross of St George is England's flag.

It is considered he was a Roman soldier of Middle Eastern origin (possibly Greek) and well known for slaying the dragon (look for a book called The Golden Legend 1483). Did you know he was decapitated for his Christian beliefs by the Romans?

There is information with a bronze image on a pillar near the statue

He is the patron saint of soldiers and was adopted for England in the 14th Century after the Crusades as he is often thought of as the epitome of chivalry.

The large Portland stone pedestal was designed by the company Cackett and Burns Dick who are famous for The Spanish City in Whitley Bay and the Laing Art Gallery. However, Cackett retired in 1920 and Robert Norman Houghton MacKellar joined in 1923.

It has bronze reliefs of Lady Justice holding the scales and two grieving women. Another side has Woman with Child and the Angel of Peace.

Above the bronze wreath are the words 'Memory Lingers Here'

The carved lion in stone bears the dates 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 to commerate the first and second world wars.

A lion features on the Newcastle coat of arms and represents strength, power, and courage amongst other things.

The memorial has survived an ignoble attempt to move it by the council in 1974 and was restored in 1991 and 2007. The feral pigeons seem to like it