[1][2] It was commissioned by local manufacturer Sir Arthur Nicholson and his wife Lady Marianne, née Falkner,[1] in memory of their son Lieutenant Basil Lee Nicholson, who was killed in action at Ypres, Belgium, in 1915, at the age of 24; and in memory of all the other local men who died fighting in World War I.

[3] It is a Grade II listed[3] building in the form of a red-brick tower[2] clad in Portland stone,[1] with four 2.06 metres (6.8 ft) diameter,[1] illuminated clock faces.

[1] Two memorial tablets listing the names of the dead were unveiled by two Boy Scouts, who had each lost their father during the war, Frank Prime and Cyril Plant.

[1] Following a £178,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund[3] the tower was restored by Prestec Ltd. of Lichfield[3] and the clock mechanism replaced.

[2] Guided tours are provided by members of a voluntary group, The Friends of the Nicholson War Memorial.