Summary
War memorial, unveiled in 1920, dedicated to the fallen of the First and Second World Wars.
Description
War memorial, unveiled in 1920, dedicated to the fallen of the First and Second World Wars.
The limestone war memorial takes the form of a plain obelisk mounted on a square-plan plinth and a rusticated three-stepped base. Each elevation of the plinth bears an inscribed marble plaque flanked by engaged pilasters under a dentilled cornice. The plaque on the front (east) elevation is inscribed: ‘FOR GOD / FOR KING AND COUNTRY / TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY / OF THE MEN OF / KIRTON IN LINDSEY / WHO DIED IN THE / GREAT WAR / 1914 – 1919’, and the plaques on the side elevations bear the names of the fallen. The rear elevation bears the inscription: ‘THIS MONUMENT WAS / ERECTED BY PUBLIC / SUBSCRIPTION SEPT 26TH 1920’. The south elevation also bears a plaque at the base of the plinth with the dates of the Second World War (1939-45), and the names of eight of the fallen. The monument is surrounded by a poured concrete path and metal railings (replaced around 2010). The memorial is prominently situated on the village green at the corner of Northcliff Road and King Edward Street.
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, 31 January 2018.
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 Kirton in Lindsey 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 in Kirton in Lindsey was unveiled in a ceremony on 26 September 1920, to commemorate 38 local men who fell during the First World War. The memorial was designed by Mr Walters of Scunthorpe, paid for by public subscription, and erected on a site donated by the owner of the green, Mr Cross of Liverpool. Following the Second World War, the names of eight of the fallen were added to the memorial. The monument was refurbished in around 2010, and the wrought-iron railings replaced at this time.
Reasons for Listing
Kirton in Lindsey War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reason:
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20.
External Links
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
Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
For the Record