Summary

First World War memorial, unveiled 1919, with later additions for the Second World War.

Description

The memorial stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Swithun (Grade I). It consists of a tall stone cross rising from a moulded collar on a tapering octagonal shaft. The shaft stands on a small octagonal pedestal, which is placed on a larger octagonal plinth. Four stone blocks standing on the plinth protrude from alternate faces of the pedestal.

The inscriptions on the memorial are incised into the pedestal. The principal dedication reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND/ IN SACRED MEMORY OF/ THOSE/ WHO FELL IN THE WARS/ 1914 – 1918/ AND/ 1939 – 1945/ THEIR NAME LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE. The names of the fallen, including their battalion and the details and date of their death, are recorded on the other faces of the pedestal.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Register. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 25 July 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: therefore the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Headbourne Worthy as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The memorial was unveiled on 9 November 1919 in commemoration of six local servicemen who died during the First World War. It was designed by GH Shackle of Market Harborough and the contractor for the work was John Underwood and Sons, London. Following the Second World War, a dedication was added to commemorate the fallen of that conflict.

The memorial lettering was re-dressed in 1947 by Messrs Moody and Black. Work was also undertaken to the memorial in 2016. Following this the memorial was rededicated on 7 August 2016.

Reasons for Listing

Headbourne Worthy War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of St Swithun’s 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;
* Architectural interest: an elegant memorial cross;
* Group value: with the Grade I-listed Church of St Swithun.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q55630622

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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  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
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  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
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  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
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  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)