Summary

First World War memorial, erected in 1919.

Description

First World War memorial, erected in 1919.

MATERIALS: carved from granite.

DESCRIPTION: the war memorial stands on the village green and takes the form of a simple, roughly-hewn obelisk that stands on a square plinth with a chamfered top, which in turn rests on a stone base. The lower part of the front (south) face of the obelisk is inscribed in black painted lettering: FOR KING/ AND/ COUNTRY/ 1914-1918. Below this, on the plinth are the names of the fallen. The west side of the plinth is inscribed: 1939-1945 and the names are listed beneath.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the memorial is enclosed by metal railings with spearhead finials.

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 aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. One such memorial was erected in West Buckland in 1919 to commemorate the thirteen servicemen who died during the conflict. Committee minutes (War Memorials Inventory, see Sources) dated June 1919 record that the memorial cost £49 10s to produce and was manufactured by De Lark Granite Company. Five further names were added to the memorial after the Second World War. The railings which enclose the war memorial were repaired in 1992.

Reasons for Listing

West Buckland War Memorial, which was erected in 1919, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* Historic Interest: as a poignant reminder of the tragic impact of world events upon an individual community, commemorating the men from this parish who lost their lives fighting in the First and Second World Wars;
* Design: a modest, yet dignified memorial in the form of an obelisk.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26677664

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

• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)