Summary

First World War memorial.

Description

The war memorial stands in a grassed area in the western half of the grounds of what is now Salisbury Arts Centre (churchyard of the Grade II*-listed Former Church of St Edmund). It comprises a three-stepped square base surmounted by a square, shouldered, plinth, and Latin cross of limestone with a hexagonal tapering shaft. The lowest step has a shallow cornice for the placement of wreaths and floral tributes.

On the front face of the plinth is a raised carved cross below which is the inscription THIS CROSS/ STANDS HERE IN SACRED MEMORY OF/ THOSE WHO WENT FROM THIS/ PARISH AND GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR/ COUNTRY AND FOR THE WORLD’S FREEDOM/ IN THE WORLD WAR OF 1914 - 1918/ THEIR NAMES ARE EVER RECORDED/ ON THE NATIONAL ROLL OF HONOUR/ THE VICTORY OF BATTLE LANDETH NOT IN THE/ MULTITUDE OF AN HOST BUT STRENGTH COMETH FROM HEAVEN.

The memorial stands within an area defined by low oak posts which used to carry a spiked chain.

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, 6 March 2017.

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. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also 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. One such memorial was raised outside St Edmund’s Church, Salisbury, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by those parishioners who lost their lives in the First World War.

Reasons for Listing

The war memorial outside St Edmund’s Church (Salisbury Arts Centre) 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 First World War;
* Design: a well-executed limestone cross;
* Group value: with the Grade II*-listed Former Church of St Edmund, St Edmund’s School (Grade II*) and numerous other designated heritage assets in close proximity.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478363

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.

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