Yardley Wood War Memorial, Billesley, Birmingham

Entry Name: Yardley Wood War Memorial

Listing Date: 1 March 2016

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1433113

ID on this website: 101433113

Location: Christ Church, Warstock, Birmingham, West Midlands, B14

County: Birmingham

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: Birmingham

Traditional County: Worcestershire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): West Midlands

Church of England Parish: Yardley Wood

Church of England Diocese: Birmingham

Tagged with: Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1922, with later additions for the Second World War.

Description

The memorial stands in the churchyard of Christ Church to the west of the church. It comprises a stone Latin cross with a tall stone shaft set on a stone plinth. The whole stands on a three-stepped base raised on a mound. The plinth has four slate tablets, one on each side. A fifth slate tablet is located to the northern face of the base, inset into two steps on this side of the mound.

(north face) TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN HONOURED MEMORY OF/ THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THIS/ CHURCH AND PARISH WHO FELL/ IN TWO WORLD WARS./ THEY WERE HONOURED IN THEIR/ GENERATION AND WERE THE GLORY/ OF THEIR TIME, THEIR OFFERING OF/ SUPREME SACRIFICE/ REMAINS AN ABIDING INFLUENCE TO/ THE WORLD’S GOOD

(west face) IS IT NOTHING TO YOU,/ ALL YE THAT PASS BY?

(east face) GREATER LOVE HATH NO/ MAN THAN THIS. THAT A/ MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE/ FOR HIS FRIENDS

(south face) THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919/ WORLD WAR TWO/ 1939 - 1945.

The fifth tablet placed on the base bears an inscription in black painted letters reading WE WORSHIPPERS AND PARISHIONERS/ OF YARDLEY WOOD ASK FOR THE CHURCH'S ACCEPTANCE OF THE MEMORIAL/ WITHIN THE CHURCHYARD BOUNDS/ WITH THE SOLEMN CHARGE THAT UNDER/ THE GUARDIANSHIP OF THE CHURCH/ IT SHALL BE PRESERVED FOREVER./ DEDICATED JUNE 18TH 1922. A little slate tablet attached on the bottom of the tablet reads DEDICATED 1922/ RE-DEDICATED 1986.

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, 18 January 2017.

History

Yardley Wood War Memorial was dedicated on 18 June 1922 (erected through donations from the congregation), commemorating the service of parishioners during the First World War. Inscriptions were added to mark the Second World War. The memorial was re-dedicated in 1986.

Reasons for Listing

Yardley Wood War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of Christ Church, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this local community, and the sacrifice it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Group value: with Christ Church, including lychgate and boundary wall (Grade II).

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.