Summary
First World War memorial.
Description
First World War memorial.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a prominent location in the churchyard of the Church of St John the Baptist (Grade I), where it faces the main entrance gate. The site is overlooked by Church Farmhouse (Grade II).
The memorial comprises an ornately carved Celtic stone wheel-head cross atop a three-stepped base set on a square stone pad sunk into the ground. The entire front face of the cross is decorated with relief carved interlace.
The inscription is incised into the front faces of the steps in painted letters and reads (top step) TO THE GLORY OF/ GOD/ (middle step) AND IN MEMORY OF/ OUR GLORIOUS DEAD/ 1914 – 1918/ (bottom step) (4 NAMES). The 'TO THE GLORY OF' is inscribed in an arc above the word 'GOD'.
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 in the churchyard at Shadingfield as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the four members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
Reasons for Listing
Shadingfield War Memorial, which stands in the churchyard of the Church of St John the Baptist, 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 First World War.
Architectural interest:
* as an elegant and well-executed wheel-head cross with ornately carved interlace designs.
Group value:
* with the Church of St John the Baptist (Grade I) and Church Farmhouse (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
Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Period Property Manual (New Ed)
Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2