Westfield War Memorial Village, Lancaster: Living Memorial

Available for over a year

The Westfield War Memorial Village is a living memorial to those who made a sacrifice in World War One. The first home was built here in 1919 and the village was officially opened in 1924 by Lord Haig – the former War Secretary. Now, there are 113 homes here (22 are privately owned). Residents are ex-service personnel. The idea for Westfield came from the local architect Thomas H. Mawson. He had lost his youngest son in the Great War and wanted to create a community for the families of men who’d been badly injured. The land was donated by a well-known local family – the Storeys - and money was raised by the Lancaster community. The Storey family has maintained close links to the village, in particular the charity which was set up to run it – and which still exists today owning the freehold. The centrepiece of the village is a striking statue of a soldier offering water to a badly wounded comrade. Many of the homes have names relating to WW1 battles. Recently, newer buildings have taken the names of more recent actions and conflicts – such as “Korea.” “Aden” and “Goose Green.” Recent arrivals at Westfield include veterans from Afghanistan. Location: Westfield War Memorial Village, Lancaster LA1 5PE