Summary
First World War memorial, erected c1920.
Description
First World War memorial, erected c1920.
MATERIALS: of granite.
DESCRIPTION: the war memorial stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary (listed Grade I), prominently sited by the churchyard wall facing Church Lane. It comprises a granite wheel-head cross on a trapezoidal plinth with a moulded cap, below which is a single-step stone base. The whole structure stands on a concrete foundation.
The plinth bears the dedicatory inscription in leaded lettering and reads ‘TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN EVER / GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF THE MEN OF / TUNSTEAD WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE / GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918 / THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE / [NAMES]’.
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 in around 1920 in the churchyard to the Church of St Mary (listed Grade I), Tunstead, as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 16 local servicemen.
Reasons for Listing
Tunstead War Memorial, erected around 1920, 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 sacrifices it made in a major conflict of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* as an accomplished and well-realised war memorial which takes the form of a Celtic wheel-head cross atop a trapezoidal plinth.
Group value:
* with the neighbouring Church of St Mary (listed Grade I).
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.
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