Summary

Skegby war memorial, unveiled in 1922 and dedicated to the fallen of the First World War.

Description

Skegby war memorial, erected in 1922, is situated adjacent to the south door of the Church of St Andrew, set in the centre of the churchyard. The sandstone monument is square in plan, and takes the form of a hexagonal, carved cross with wheel on a square tapered plinth, set upon a two-stepped base and a raised platform. The memorial's plinth carries a set of inscribed slate commemorative tablets. The inscription on the frontal tablet reads: THIS / MONUMENT / AND THE / SCHOOL CLOCK / WERE ERECTED TO THE / GLORY OF GOD / AND IN MEMORY OF THOSE / WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE / 1914-18. The other tablets continue around the plinth and are inscribed with the names of the 43 local men who fell in the First World War.

History

The concept of commemorating war dead did not develop to any great extent until towards the end of the C19. Prior to then memorials were rare and were mainly dedicated to individual officers, or sometimes regiments. The first large-scale erection of war memorials dedicated to the ordinary soldier followed the Second Boer War of 1899-1902, which was the first major war following reforms to the British Army which led to regiments being recruited from local communities and with volunteer soldiers. However, it was the aftermath of the First World War that was the great age of memorial building, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and 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.

Skegby war memorial, unveiled at a ceremony held in July 1922, was erected in memory of the 43 local men who fell in the First World War (1914-18). The memorial is situated within the grounds of the Church of St Andrew, Skegby which is listed at Grade II (NHLE 1234873).

Reasons for Listing

Skegby war memorial, erected in 1922, which stands to the south of the Church of St Andrew, 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;
* Design: as a modest yet well-executed memorial cross with a set of inscribed slate commemorative tablets;
* Group value: for the strong group value it holds with the Grade II listed Church of St Andrew, situated immediately to the north of the memorial.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26677721

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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  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
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  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
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  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
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  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)