Summary
A village war memorial dated to about 1920, of textured granite with inlaid lead lettering. The cross has a stylised head with base and stepped plinth.
Description
A village war memorial dated to about 1920.
MATERIALS: textured granite with inlaid lead lettering.
DESCRIPTION: the cross has a stylised head with base and stepped plinth. The memorial faces east and has a tapered shaft and square arms which stand proud in front of a stylised wheel head. The tapered base is inscribed THIS CROSS IS ERECTED TO / THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN / LOVING GRATEFUL MEMORY OF / THE FOLLOWING HOLLYBUSH MEN / WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR / COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914 – 1918. (NAMES). Below the names of the fallen is inscribed THE KING OF THE WORLD SHALL RAISE US UP / WHO HAVE DIED FOR HIS LAWS UNTO EVER- / LASTING LIFE. The other faces are blank. Below the base is a plinth of two steps.
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 Hollybush, 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 appears to have been erected about 1920.
Reasons for Listing
Hollybush War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and the sacrifice it has made in the First World War.
Architectural interest:
* as an accomplished and well-realised war memorial, which takes the form of a granite cross on a tapered shaft with base and stepped plinth.
Group value:
* the cross forms a group with the Church of All Saints, Hollybush.
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
Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
For the Record