Summary
First World War memorial cross.
Description
The stone war memorial is located outside Church Farm House (Grade II-listed), c40m to the west of the Church of All Saints (Grade I). Approximately 3.3m tall, it comprises a cross on a slender, tapering octagonal shaft with moulded collar and foot, standing on a small pedestal. The pedestal, square on plan, stand on a three-stepped base. The cross-head, rising from the simply moulded collar, is in the form of an equal-armed cross pommé with cusps at the intersections of the arms.
The pedestal bears the inscriptions. The principal dedicatory inscription to the front face reads TO HONOUR THE MEMORY/ OF THE/ MEN OF WESTON/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 - 1918/ LEST WE FORGET. The commemorated names, including date of death and regiment, corps, or service of the deceased servicemen, are listed on the other faces.
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 31/07/2018
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. 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 Weston Longville as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by 10 members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. Conservation works were completed in 2014, in time for the Centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. It was at this time that the grassed square surrounding the memorial was kerbed and surfaced with gravel.
Reasons for Listing
Weston Longville War Memorial, which stands on Church Street, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the First World War.
Architectural interest:
* an elegant war memorial cross;
* unusually, the memorial has not been adapted for Second World War commemoration, and thus retains its original design intent.
Group value:
* with the Church of All Saints including boundary wall to churchyard (Grade I) and the Former Spread Eagle Public House and Church Farm House (both Grade II).
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
Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living