Summary
War memorial, unveiled 1920, with Second World War additions.
Description
War memorial, unveiled 1920, with Second World War additions.
MATERIALS: granite with raised metal lettering.
DESCRIPTION: the war memorial has a two-tier base surmounted by a tapering plinth. It is topped by a shaft and a wheel cross which are both decorated on the front (west face) by a carved Celtic knot design and the dates of the conflict 1914 and 1919. There is a dedication at the base of the shaft which reads: IN/ IMPERISHABLE/ MEMORY/ OF THE MEN/ OF CROSTON/ WHO MADE THE/ SUPREME/ SACRIFICE/ IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ "THEIR NAME/ LIVETH/ FOR EVERMORE". The names of the Fallen are in recessed panels on the sides of the plinth. Plaques have been added to the base to commemorate the Fallen of the Second World War including a dedication (west face) reading: GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN/ THAN THIS THAT A MAN LAY DOWN/ HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS and the names on the side returns.
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 at Croston 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 war memorial at Croston was unveiled on Saturday 30 October 1920. Following the end of the Second World War a further dedication was added to the base.
Reasons for Listing
Croston War Memorial, unveiled 1920, 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.
Architectural interest:
* as a wheel-cross memorial decorated with high-quality carvings.
Group value:
* it forms a group with the nearby listed buildings including Rectory House and its gateway (both Grade II), and Church of St Michael and All Angels (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
Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)