Summary
First World War memorial with a Second World War addition.
Description
First World War memorial with a Second World War addition.
DESCRIPTION: Fovant War Memorial is located in front of the village hall at the junction of Tisbury Road and Dinton Road, close to the centre of the village.
The memorial takes the form of a stone, Latin cross fleurée atop a square, tapering column with a moulded cap and foot. This rises from a square plinth, surmounting a chamfered base.
The plinth carries the inscription and names in incised lettering, painted black. The south-east face of the plinth reads, IN GRATEFUL MEMORY/ OF/ THE MEN FROM THIS PARISH WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR/ KING AND COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ AND/ 1939 - 1945. The 22 names of those who died in the First World War are recorded on the north-east and south-west faces of the plinth.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: The memorial stands within an area of hardstanding bounded by a dwarf stone wall; there is an opening at the south-east side to allow access to the memorial.
History
The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also the official policy of not repatriating the dead which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
One such memorial was raised at Fovant as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 22 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was presumably erected not long after the end of the conflict, and was in situ by the Ordnance Survey County Series 25in map published in 1925.
Following the Second World War the dates of that conflict were added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Fovant War Memorial, which is situated in front of the village hall at the junction of Tisbury Road and Dinton Road, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* an elegant Latin cross fleurée memorial.
External Links
External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.
Recommended Books
Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)