Summary

First World War Memorial with later addiitons for the Second World War.

Description

The war memorial in the churchyard of St Michael’s and All Angels, Woolmer Green, was designed by Laurence A Turner (1882 – 1943): architectural sculptor, carver, modeller and architect.

It is made from Bramley Fall Stone and takes the form of a Latin Cross on a tall, round, tapering column with an octagonal base. This stands on a square plinth which is placed at the centre of a three stepped base. The plinth has recessed plaques on each side, three of which record the 11 names of those who died in the First World War. On the fourth is an inscription: IN PROUD MEMORY OF THE GALLANT MEN FROM THIS VILLAGE WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919. Below this, on the face of the top step are the dates 1939-1945, with the names of those who died in the Second World War inscribed on a long plaque attached to the face of the next step down.

History

At the end of the First World War, Woolmer Green was still a part of Welwyn Parish, but the community decided that rather than joining with the whole parish in a common memorial to those who had died in the war, they would erect one of their own. A list of subscribers records that £119 was raised, and the cross was unveiled by Colonel Sir Charles Longmore KBC at a dedication ceremony held on 26 September 1920. The site eventually chosen for the memorial was the churchyard of St Michael’s and All Angels (Grade II), to the north of the church, originally identified as a suitable place for a village cross for its visibility to travellers. The architectural sculptor and carver commissioned to carry out the work, Laurence A Turner, was a designer and craftsman who also worked on designs by other artists and architects, including R Weir Schultz, the architect of the church of St Michael’s and All Angels, built between 1899 and 1900.

Reasons for Listing

Woolmer Green War Memorial, unveiled in September 1920, 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 community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Design interest: it is a simple and elegant design by the reputable architectural sculptor, Laurence A. Turner.
* Group value: with the church of St Michael’s and All Angels, which is listed at Grade II.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26677933

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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  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]