Summary
First World War memorial, 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.
Description
First World War memorial, 1920, with later additions for the Second World War.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands at the southernmost point of the churchyard, approximately 75m south-east of the Church of St Peter (Grade II*). The memorial comprises a plain stone Latin cross on a substantial octagonal plinth and square base. It stands approximately 2.4m high. A carved shield on a foot at the base of the shaft is inscribed with 1914 – 1919.
The main inscription on the south-west face of the plinth reads IN PROUD AND AFFECTIONATE/ MEMORY OF/ THOSE BRAVE SONS/ OF HOLTON,/ WHO FOUGHT AND/ DIED FOR THEIR/ FRIENDS,/ THEIR HOMES,/ AND THEIR COUNTRY,/ IN THE/ GREAT WAR.
The south and west faces of the plinth bear the names of the fallen, and each face is headed with the inscription “THE GLORIOUS DEAD”.
The rear of the plinth bears the inscription 1939 – 1945/ (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 which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Holton St Peter 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 unveiled in September 1920 by Captain Scrimgeour.
The names of those parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Holton St Peter War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of St Peter, 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 sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20.
Architectural interest:
* as a simple but well-executed Latin cross.
Group value:
* with the Church of St Peter (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.
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