Wrea Green Memorial

The dub and the village green

The memorial from the village green

Close up of memorial

Wrea Grea is a very pretty village in Lancashire quite close to the bustling Blackpool and close to Lytham and St. Annes. It is still in the Borough of Fylde and is considered one of the nicest places to live. It possesses a lovely pub, The Grapes, and a post office a couple of shops and that is about it.

There is a windmill that has been converted into a private dwelling - that is the character of the place. However it is a village steeped in history, and has been the home to some quite well known people as well as characters. The focal point of the village is "the Dub", the local pond. The road has to go round the Dub, even though there is a road that cuts across, almost out of sight. If you are driving you miss it! You would expect the the memorial to be on the village green, but it does face the Dub and the village green. It is certainly low profile and beautifully tended.

Here is a village, even though its in Fylde Borough is fiercely independent. There is new build in Wrea Green, but it is conveniently hidden away. I suspect the "incomers" have taken on the character of the residents.   The memorial is low set and is at the west end of the Dub, situated under some trees. It is modern and seems to have been built quite recently. There is also some very nice stonework used in tin the capstones if you examine a close up.

There does not seem to be any evidence of the date of building although there are some references to major revamp in the village website. The website is excellent and deserves a visit, just like the village!

The Centre

Right wing

Left wing

IN MEMORY OF 

THE MEN OFWREA GREEN AND DISTRICT

WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES

IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 1918

AND IN THE WORLD WAR 1939 - 1945

1914-1918

SIMON B.CLARKE

HARRY DICKINSON

W.CLARENCE DUCKWORTH

JAMES GERALD FAIR

ARTHUR HATTON

CECIL HUTCHINSON

THOMAS McSPIRIT

THOMAS RIGBY

RICHARD ROSSALL

WILLIAM ROSSALL

THOMAS SHORROCK

WILLIAM SHORROCK

1939- 1945

THOMAS BLACKLOCK

THOMAS I.S. CHENEY

HAROLD EDWARDS

WILLIAM H.KINGSBERRY

TOM NICHOLSON

EDWARD PORTER

KENNETH WILLACY

JOHN WRIGHT

This Memorial is listed on the United Kingdom National Inventry of War Memorials  as UKNIWM Ref: 54936

General Service Medal - Captain Kingsberry

General Service Medal -
Captain Kingsberry

Additional info for
Captain Kingsberry

From Ancestry it seems that a William H. Kingsberry married in 3rd  quarter of 1927, a certain Alice Barbara Mary Birley. The registration district is Fylde. Information suggests that he is a Captain at the time. The name Birley is mentioned in the Wrea Green website above. The Birley arms is still the name of a local pub in the area.William Kingsberry had an extremely distinguished Army career and died in service as a Colonel. More research needed here. The link on his name takes you to a Facebook page dedicated to William Kingsberry. His name is mispelt on Ancestry as Kingsbury. Clearly the same man.

The Roll of Honour which is in St Nicholas' vestibule

The other "memorial" is at Fox Lane Ends. The cross is completely clear of writing, the date of its origin is unclear and to most people it only represents a bus stop. However the only evidence information-wise is shown on the Lancashire Lantern image below. The name Birley is synonymous with Wrea Green. Ancestry seems to have narrowed down only one Hutton Birley. Born on 6th of August 1840, married Alice Mary Howard in Kirkham in 1865, and died in 1921. However the "cross" is clearly seen on a 1893 map and also before. It has figured on all OS maps since. But it really does not have the evidence for 130+ years wear and tear!
Birley information is here.

1893 Map showing the cross at Fox Lane Ends

But: This is information supplied by the Archaeology Data Service

906,"KM0647","Fox Lane Ends Cross, Wrea Green, Westby with Plumptons",

"The ‘Stone Cross’ mentioned on the map, is three eighths of a mile north west of
Wrea Green.

{4}
The modern cross, 1.7m high is socketted into an old base stone, 
measuring 0.6m square, and 0.2m high. 

The socket is approximately 0.2m by 0.25m.  The cross is cemented into it.

 A metal plate affixed to the west face of the stone shows the cross to be 

dedicated to the memory of Hutton Birely J.P. of Wrea Green.  January 19, 1922. 

The site is on a grass patch in the centre of a road junction. 

The socket stone of a probable wayside cross restored with a modern latin shaft
as a memorial. 

It could not be established whether or not the cross is on its original site. {5}
Base of wayside cross, with cross erected 1922.  Square-shaped boulder, 

the exposed part with roughly-chamfered sides. 
Simple modern cross of punched stone. {6}
Restored cross, 69 inches high, above the much older base, 

which measures 26 by 24 inches and stands 7 inches above the ground.  {7}

This confirms the view that the cross was a modern cross. 

The socket can be seen - but it does not look particularly old. 
The cross is considered to be a Latin style

Fox Lane Ends - Wayside Cross

Directions next to my trailer(oops)!

Full on view from the "Front"

From the rear of the crass - The road into Wrea Green goes to the left.
To the right heads towards Kirkham.

Socket clearly seen

Lancashire Lantern image with the annotation highlighted
"Dedicated to Mr. Hutton Birley"

I did not get the opportunity to go into the church but the actual entrance vestibule is fascinating - and is rewarding. Further study needed here I guess

This is found high in one of the walls in the vestibule and reads:
AD 1750
This C. Ribby with Wray was augm
And AD 1703 Lands purch with 1000( there is an L above the figure)
Whereof given by
Q. Anne's Bounty _ _ _ _______________ _ _ _ 600
By executors. of Wm. Stratford L.L.D _ _ _ 100
      By other Benefrs 50,  School Trust, 100.  160 (?)
By Mr Thos Benson _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _ _100
By Mr Wm Shepherd  _ _  _ _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ 50
                                                                 ______  
                                                                1000

1884
REVR.S.STONEY B.D. VICAR
This inscription is just to the left as you enter the church and
represents the name of one of the incumbents. More info below:

Detailed information about the vicar of Wrea Green.
The Reverend Ralph Feltham Sadleir Stoney died at Wrea Green Vicarage, Co Lancaster, age 72 on Saturday 7th of June, and was buried at at Wrea Green 11th June 1902. A stained glass memorial window has been placed in the church. Will dated 4th of April with Codicil dated 27th of April 1902, proved (Prin.Reg. 1463,1902) 28th of November 1902, by the Rev. Ralph Sadleir Stoney, the Rev Travers Strathmore Stoney, and the Rev. Edwin Fazakerley Stoney, the sons, three of the executors.

The two images are together and are a bibliography of Reverend Ralph Sadleir Stoney. However there is information of considerable importance to those reseaching the Stoney family. Like mine is is clear that the church runs strong and deep in the  Stoney family. All this information is to be found on the Internet and Ancestry.

Reverend RALPH SADLEIR STONEY B.D. Vicar of Ribby-cum-Wrea co. Lancaster. Born March 27th, 1830, being the third son of the late Rev. Ralph Stoney, M.A., of Terryglass and Ballynockane, by his wife Abigail, dau of Thomas Sadleir of Castletown, of County Tipperary, eldest brother of Dr Sadleir, Provost of Trinity College, Dublin Married first, 1859, Eliza, eldest daughter of John Drinkwater of Liverpool( brother to Sir George Drinkwater), and sister of Sir William Drinkwater; and had isssue -Eliza and Selina, both d. young. He married secondly, July 22 1870 Sibilla Frances, second dau. of Rev. William T. Homan, Rector of Modreeny; and had Issue - (1)Rev Ralph Sadleir Stoney B.A. Oxford b. Sept. 1st 1872 (2) Edwin Fazakerly Stoney, Gentleman, B.A. Trin. Coll., Dublin, b March 26, 1875. Residence Wreagreen Vicarage, Preston.

Stoney, Ralph Sadleir, M.A., TRINITY COLL., Dublin, 1857 (B.A. 1854); adm. 'ad eundem' 23 Feb., (s. Ralph of Terryglass, cler.), vicar of Ribbey with Wrea, Lancashire, 1866

This for the moment concludes part of the investigation int Wrea Green. I will make a visit to the church and I am sure othe interesting things will show up.