Summary
First World War memorial, erected in 1920.
Description
A First World War memorial, erected in 1920.
DESCRIPTION: The memorial stands within the churchyard to the north of the Church of St Leonard (Grade I), the mother church for Bewdley. It comprises a small Latin cross with capped arms on a tapering square column with a carved capital set upon a square pedestal with a moulded cornice and a three-stepped base. It stands approximately 5m high. The main inscription in incised lettering on the east face of the pedestal reads TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF/ THE SEVENTY SIX MEN/ OF BEWDLEY WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919.
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 Ribbesford as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the 76 men of Bewdley who lost their lives in the First World War. The war memorial was unveiled on Sunday 11 April 1920 by the Archdeacon of Hereford.
Reasons for Listing
Bewdley War Memorial at the Church of St Leonard, Ribbesford 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 sacrifice it has made in the First World War.
Architectural interest:
* it is a dignified commemorative structure that is well carved.
Group value:
* with the Grade I-listed Church of St Leonard and the Banks Memorial and the Seager and Baker Memorials which are listed at 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
Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)