Summary
War memorial, erected in about 1920.
Description
War memorial, erected in about 1920.
MATERIALS: carved from stone.
DESCRIPTION: located at a road junction, at the northern end of the village, the war memorial takes the form of a Latin cross with a tapering octagonal shaft with broach stops to its base. At the centre of the cross is a relief-carving of the Christian symbol of a pelican plucking its breast to feed its young. The pedestal on which the Latin cross is surmounted comprises a large square plinth and a tapered dado with carved decoration to the top. On the south-east face of the plinth is the carved inscription:
TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO FELL IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918. / (5 NAMES)
The whole stands on a stone platform.
History
The aftermath of the First World War saw an unprecedented wave of public commemoration 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.
On such memorial was raised at Great Comberton, 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 memorial was erected in about 1920.
Reasons for Listing
Great Comberton War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* it is an accomplished and well-realised example of a Latin cross war memorial which displays good decorative detailing.
Historic interest:
* it has strong cultural and historical significance within both a local and national context as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the First World War.
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
Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas