Crich Stand

Crich Stand is a memorial tower, originally erected in 1923 to the memory of the 11,409 members of the Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire) Regiment who died in the First World War. Further dedications extend this to members of the regiment who perished during the Second World War and up until 1970, and to those who died serving in the successor regiments; the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment from 1970 to 2007 and the Mercian Regiment since 2007. The memorial stands on a carboniferous limestone outcrop that has been partly quarried away on its western flank, creating a cliff that overlooks the village of Crich in the English county of Derbyshire. It is 286 metres (938 ft) above sea level, is 19 m (64 ft) high and has 59 steps to the top. From the top there are extensive views, and on a clear day Lincoln Cathedral, some 40 miles (64 km) away, can be seen. In 1760, a wooden tower with an external ladder was erected on the top of the hill to mark the accession to the throne of King George III. This was replaced in 1788 by a limestone tower with a wooden top, which in turn was replaced by a circular gritstone tower in 1851, built on a base constructed from the stones of its predecessor. A landslide in 1882 in the neighbouring quarry damaged the tower and it was closed to the public. It was later struck by lightning and concerns were raised in 1906 that the tower should be rebuilt. In 1914 the site was sold to the Clay Cross Company, owners of the quarry, on condition that they rebuilt the tower nearby, a commitment that was delayed by the onset of the First World War. By 1922, Sherwood Foresters Old Comrades Association were looking for a site for a memorial for their many comrades who had died during the First World War. As the regiment was raised across the two counties of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, they wanted to find a site close to the boundary between the counties, and Crich Stand, whose view encompasses both counties, was…