Summary
War memorial. Erected, following the First World War, in 1920 by Charles Mee. A further inscription was added after the Second World War.
Description
War memorial. Erected, following the First World War, in 1920 by Charles Mee. A further inscription was added after the Second World War.
MATERIALS: carved from Cornish granite.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial is situated within the churchyard of the Church of St Nicholas (Grade I), immediately to the east of the chancel. It comprises a Celtic cross set atop a trapezoidal plinth and two-stepped base. The memorial is about 2.5m high and surrounded by stone paving and gravel within a square stone kerb approached by a short path. The front (south) face of the plinth is inscribed in leaded lettering: LEST WE FORGET/ IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO FELL/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914–1919/ (10 NAMES). On the upper step of the base is the inscription: 1939 (NAME) 1945. The west face of the plinth is inscribed: UNITY IS STRENGTH/ TO/ THE HONOUR OF THE MEN OF/ BEDFIELD/ WHO GAVE THEIR SERVICE TO/ KING AND COUNTRY. On the east face of the plinth is the inscription: MAKE THEM/ TO BE NUMBERED/ WITH THY SAINTS.
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 Bedfield as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by ten members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. It was erected within the churchyard of the Church of St Nicholas (Grade I) by Charles Mee and unveiled during a memorial service on 4 April 1920. After the Second World War, the name of a parishioner who fell during that conflict was added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Bedfield War Memorial, erected in 1920 in the churchyard of the Church of St Nicholas, 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 Grade I-listed Church of St Nicholas and Grade II*-listed Bedfield Hall.
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
Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)