Summary
A First World War memorial erected in 1921, with later additions following the Second World War.
Description
A First World War memorial erected in 1921, with later additions following the Second World War.
MATERIALS: the memorial is constructed from Hornton stone.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands at a central location in the village. It consists of an obelisk made of Hornton stone on a square plinth. The plinth stands on a two-stepped square base.
The south face of the plinth is inscribed with the dedication THIS OBELISK WAS/ ERECTED BY THE/ PARISHIONERS OF/ WORMLEIGHTON IN/ LOVING MEMORY OF/ THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 - 1918/ AND/ 1939 - 1945. The east side of the plinth bears the names of those who fell in the First and Second World Wars.
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, 10 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. One such memorial was unveiled at Wormleighton on 8 October 1921 by Lord Althorp and dedicated by the Revd P Alford as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
The memorial commemorates seven local servicemen who died in the First World War. Following the Second World War, two names were added for the fallen of that conflict.
The unveiling ceremony included an address to those assembled given by Lord Althorp and The Last Post and Reveille was played by Mr E Knight. The ceremony was attended by ex-servicemen, relatives, school children and Boy Scouts.
Reasons for Listing
Wormleighton War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* as a well-executed stone obelisk.
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impacts of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it made in the conflicts of the C20.
Group value:
* with the Manor Gatehouse, Church Farm House and other nearby listed buildings.
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
Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings