Summary

War memorial, erected after the First World War; altered by the addition of names of the Fallen of the Second World War after 1945.

Description

First World War memorial, further names were added after the Second World War.

MATERIALS: it is constructed of granite stone supplied by the Bodmin Granite Co.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial takes the form of Celtic-wheel cross on a tapering shaft; the latter with a relief carving of a sword and, in raised lettering, the inscription: PRO PATRIA / MORI, and 1914-1918. The names of the Fallen from the Second World War and the dates 1939-1945 have been added to the base of the shaft. The shaft stands on a large pedestal with inscriptions to three sides. Side one (south-east): ERECTED BY THE / PARISHIONERS AND FRIENDS / OF ALTARNUN. / TO THE SACRED MEMORY OF THE FALLEN / AND IN HONOUR OF ALL / THOSE WHO SERVED FROM THIS PARISH. / THESE GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR / KING AND COUNTRY. / (NAMES) / R.I.P. Sides two and three are inscribed with the names (96) of those who served during the First World War and survived, and are remembered for their honourable service. The pedestal stands on a rough-hewn rectangular base which itself stands on a stone slab.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the memorial is tightly enclosed by replacement metal railings.*

* Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that the replacement metal railings are not of special architectural or historic interest and are not included in the listing.

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, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and 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 in Altarnun to the south-east of the Church of St Nonna (Grade I) and alongside Altarnun Bridge (Grade II) in memory of the 10 local men who lost their lives during the conflict and also to honour all those from the parish who served and survived the war. After the Second World War, the names of the men of the parish who died in that conflict were added to the memorial.

Reasons for Listing

Altarnun War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* It is a well-carved commemorative structure which displays good detailing, and remains in its original location.

Historic interest:

* As an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the First and Second World Wars.

Group value:
* With a number of listed buildings including the Church of St Nonna (Grade I) and Altarnun Bridge (Grade II).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66478911

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

• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)