Summary

A stone war memorial cross of 1919.

Description

A war memorial cross of 1919 date. Built by Messrs H Davis and Son of Melksham to the design of Lawrence A Turner FSA.

MATERIALS: of dressed Doulting stone.

DESCRIPTION: a war memorial cross on a four-stepped octagonal base surmounted by a square double plinth. The tapering shaft has a floreate capital surmounted by a gabled Latin cross inscribed IHS to both faces. The lower plinth has bronze plaques inscribed IN MEMORY OF/ OUR MEN WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR OF/ 1914 - 1919/ (NAMES). The upper plinth IN MEMORY OF/ OUR MEN WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE WORLD WAR/ 1939 - 1945/ (NAMES).

The memorial stands in a post-war garden of remembrance with low stone walls, planters and a post and rail fence, on a traffic island to the N of the entrance to the parish churchyard.*

* Pursuant to s1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that these aforementioned features are not of special architectural or historic interest.

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 6 June 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 at Melksham 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 war memorial to the men of Melksham who fell in the First World War was unveiled and dedicated on 23 August 1919 at a ceremony attended by Field Marshall Lord Methuen and the Archdeacon of Wiltshire. It was designed by Lawrence A Turner FSA. Following the Second World War, those who fell in that conflict were also commemorated. The four enamelled St George and Union Jack flags fixed to the front facing plinth plaques are later replacements. Also, a stone planter which stands on the third step was placed there by the Melksham Branch of the British Legion at an unknown date.

Reasons for Listing

Melksham War Memorial 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: a well-crafted cross design in dressed Doulting stone;
* Degree of alteration: the structure is unaltered;
* Group value: on a prominent road junction surrounded by listed buildings.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478758

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

• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)