Summary
First World War memorial with later additions for the Second World War.
Description
First World War memorial with later additions for the Second World War.
MATERIALS: granite.
DESCRIPTION: Marhamchurch War Memorial is located in the car park at the junction of Helebridge Road and Underlane to the east of the Grade I-listed Parish Church of St Marwenne.
The memorial takes the form of a rough-hewn granite wheel-headed cross on a tapering shaft. The cross shaft rises from a plinth on square base. The east and west faces of the plinth are recessed with a smooth finish.
The base of the east face of the cross shaft reads FOR / KING / AND / COUNTRY / 1914-1918 while the face of the plinth below lists the 12 fallen from that conflict. The base of the west face of the cross shaft reads FOR / KING / AND / COUNTRY / 1939-1945 with the face of the plinth below listing the nine fallen from that conflict.
The memorial stands on a square, flat, granite area enclosed by a post and chain fence set within the wider tarmaced car park area.
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 750,000 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 Marhamchurch, 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 date that the memorial was unveiled is unknown, although it was in place by 1929. Following the end of the Second World War, the names of nine fallen from that conflict were added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Marhamchurch War Memorial 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 conflicts of the C20.
Group value:
* with the nearby Grade-I listed Church of St Marwenne and other Grade-II listed buildings in the village centre.
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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