Summary

First World War memorial, erected in 1920.

Description

First World War memorial erected in 1920.

MATERIALS: granite.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial takes the form of a cross, which stands upon a large plinth with a plaque fixed to the front face, which reads TO THE HONOURED MEMORY/ OF THE MEN FROM THIS PARISH/ WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919. There is an associated plaque inside the church, on the wall of the south aisle, which lists the names of the Fallen.

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 Christ Church, Reading, 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 was erected in 1920 and was paid for by public subscription.

Reasons for Listing

Christ Church War Memorial, erected in 1920, 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 First World War.

Group value:

* with the adjacent Grade II*-listed Christ Church, Reading.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q66479365

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)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)