Summary

First World war memorial, probably erected by 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

Description

War memorial, probably erected by 1921.

MATERIALS: carved from Ham stone.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial is located at the south-east corner of the churchyard of the church of St Margaret. Standing on a square platform, the memorial comprises a square-based tapered pedestal with an octagonal shaft above, surmounted by a wheel cross. The base of the shaft has a square plinth supporting a torus above which is encased at the corners with a beak-style moulding which runs from the base of the shaft to the plinth. The upper section of the shaft has a plain octagonal annulet. The east face of the pedestal is inscribed IN / MEMORY / OF/ ARTHUR / AND / FREDERICK FRY / AND / ERNEST HOCKEY / KILLED IN ACTION / AND ALSO / THOSE OF MIDDLE CHINNOCK / WHO SERVED DURING / THE GREAT WAR / 1914 – 1919. The west face of the pedestal is inscribed ALSO TO / THE MEMORY OF / SIDNEY RALPH / LANGDON / KILLED IN ACTION / SECOND WORLD WAR / 1939 – 1943.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 15 December 2016.

History

The great age of memorial building was in the aftermath of the First World War with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. It is not known when Middle Chinnock War Memorial was erected and commemorated, but it was likely to be soon after the end of the First World War. This assumption is based on the absence of the name Archibald Langdon from the memorial. Langdon, a rifleman of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, died on the 28 February 1921 and is separately commemorated by a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone to the immediate west of the war memorial.

Reasons for Listing

Middle Chinnock War Memorial 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 accomplished and well-realised design which good attention to its decorative detail;
* Group value: it has group value with the church of St Margaret (Grade II*).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26677577

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

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