Port Sunlight's war memorial has been awarded Grade I listing status making it one of the most important memorials in the country.

The upgrade was recommended by English Heritage, the national body responsible for championing and protecting historic places, and announced by the Government today.

The Port Sunlight memorial, formerly Grade II listed, is now one of only two Grade I memorials in the Merseyside area.

The re-designation is part of a First World War centenary initiative by English Heritage and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to evaluate all First World War memorials in England. 

Councillor Jerry Williams, heritage champion for Wirral Council, said: “Port Sunlight Village is a site of national and international significance, and one of Wirral’s prized assets.

"Of particular note is the village’s beautiful war memorial. It is a fitting monument to the sacrifices made by Port Sunlight’s workers and their families, and I am delighted that it has been recognised as such.”

Nick Bridgland, designation director for the North, said: “The Port Sunlight war memorial has been upgraded to Grade I, taking its place alongside the most historically important memorials in the country such as the Liverpool Cenotaph.

"Standing prominently in Port Sunlight, the memorial is witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the 20th century.”

The Port Sunlight memorial was unveiled in 1921 by employees of Lever Brothers Port Sunlight who had served in the First World War.

It was designed by Welsh sculptor Sir William Goscombe John who was commissioned by village founder William Hesketh Lever as early as 1916 to create a memorial to the Fallen.

Entitled "Defence of the Home", the memorial depicts women, children and soldiers and the sculptor was criticised at the time of its construction for what was described as his "overt sentimentality."

Today, the memorial is one of the largest in the country and has the largest collection of bronze sculptures of any war memorial.

Listed on it are the names of all Lever Brothers employees and residents of the village who were killed during the World Wars.

Maggie Sparks, chairwoman of Port Sunlight Village Trust, said: “We are delighted that the war memorial has been upgraded.

"It is a wonderful acknowledgment of its exceptional quality and the profound effect the First World War had on the community here.

"With its monumental scale, exquisite bronzes, pivotal location and ground breaking theme, the memorial is a true landmark for Port Sunlight.”

The memorial will be the focal point of the village’s annual Remembrance Day service and parade on Sunday, November 9, which will begin at approximately 10.45am.