Summary
First World War memorial,1922, with later additions.
Description
First World War memorial,1922, with later additions.
MATERIALS: sandstone.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands on the village green at the junction of Stow Road and High Street. The memorial comprises a sandstone Latin cross which has a carved wreath affixed to the north side of the cross head. The splayed foot of the cross shaft rises from a stone square plinth on a square base.
The incised inscription on the south face of the plinth reads TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN SACRED MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918/ (6 NAMES). The north face of the plinth bears the inscription ALSO OF/ (2 NAMES) WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1939 – 1945, while the east face reads (1 NAME)/ WHO GAVE HIS LIFE IN KOREA/ APRIL 29TH 1953.
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 Spaldwick as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by six members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.
Spaldwick War Memorial was designed by W E Ashley who was responsible for a number of memorials in the Huntingdon area including Great Stukeley War Memorial (Grade II). It was unveiled in 1922. Further inscriptions were added to the memorial following the Second World War and the Korean War.
Reasons for Listing
Spaldwick War Memorial, which stands on The Green at the junction of Stow Road and High Street, 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 an elegant and well-executed sandstone cross bearing a carved wreath.
Group value:
* with the base of a medieval cross on The Green (Grade II), 2 Stow Road (Grade II) and The George (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
Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)