This impressive monument commemorates the Fallen of the old counties of Cumberland and Westmorland. The insignia on the front are those of the Royal Navy, the Army, the Royal Air Force, and the medical services. The insignia on the back are those of the Cumberland Artillery, the Border Regiment, and the Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry. Its panels now refer to the fallen of both the First and Second World Wars.
It was dedicated on 25th May 1922, and unveiled by the Earl of Lonsdale. Schools and workplaces released pupils and employees to enable them to attend. It is believed the dedication ceremony was attended by 25,000 people.
The structure is of local Pink Shap Granite and was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer. It is 40 feet high and was constructed at a cost £5,000.
The parkland in which it stands was the initiative of the Carlisle Citizen’s League, a charitable organisation founded in 1914 by the then acting Mayor of Carlisle, Sir Benjamin Scott. The League (which provided considerable aid to ex-service personnel) raised, through public subscription, the sum of £11,500, sufficient to purchase the area now known as Rickerby Park.
When a decision was made to erect a memorial to those of the two counties of Cumberland and Westmorland who had made the Supreme Sacrifice in The Great War this site, in Rickerby Park, was chosen.
The result was the imposing Cenotaph, the Empty Tomb you see here. This was the focus of the annual 11am Act of Remembrance until the City Centre Cenotaph in the Greenmarket was dedicated in 1990. For some years the commemoration at the more accessible City memorial drew attention away from this.
However in recent times the local branch of The Royal British Legion has, on each Remembrance Sunday, hosted an afternoon Act of Commemoration here, with greater and greater numbers attending each year.
In order to find the cache you need to answer some simple questions. There are two benches just outside the gate into the Cenotaph. Some questions concern these benches, others are based on the Cenotaph itself.
A. The number of planes flying Northeast on the WW2 bench (figuratively)
B. Number of soldiers on the WW2 bench, minus horses, ambulances, biplanes and nurses on WW1 bench. Look carefully.
C. Number of horses on the WW1 bench
D. How many times do the words Cumberland and/or Westmorland appear on the main stone engraving?
E. On the main stone engraving, how many times does the word Carlisle appear?
F. On the brass plaque, take the earlier date from the later one.
Important Due to the cache being compromised it has been moved. Once the calculations below have been completed you need to add 052' to the northing , and subtract 396' from the westing. The hint has also been updated.
Cache can be found at N54° 54.ABC' W02° 55.DEF'
