Summary
War memorial, unveiled on 27 June 1920. Commemorating those who died in service during the First and Second World War.
Description
War memorial, unveiled on 27 June 1920. Commemorating those who died in service during the First and Second World War.
MATERIALS: Cornish-granite stone and raised metal lettering
DESCRIPTION: a square base topped by a tapered plinth, a shaft and a wheel cross with Celtic-style decoration. The dedication is located within a recessed panel on the west face of the plinth, and reads ‘1914-1918/ KENWYN/ WAR MEMORIAL/ ALSO/ 1939-1948/ (the names of Second World War casualties)/ LEST WE FORGET'. The names of those who died during the First World War are on the north and south faces of the plinth.
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.
The Kenwyn War Memorial was unveiled on 27 June 1920. The ceremony was attended by around 2000 people. The memorial commemorates those members of the parish who died during the First World War. The names include that of Cora Ball, a member of the Women‘s Army Auxiliary Corps, who was stationed near Calais, France where she died 13 days after Armistice Day, likely due to contracting influenza. Ball is also named on Truro War Memorial (listed Grade II), and is the only woman to be named on both structures. Following the Second World War further names were added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Kenwyn 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;
* The Roll of Honour is unusual as it includes the name of a female casualty, Cora Ball, who served in the Women‘s Army Auxiliary Corps in Calais and died 13 days after Armistice Day.
Architectural interest:
* It makes good use of local granite stone including the intricately-carved wheel cross.
External Links
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Recommended Books
Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
[(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)