Summary
A First World War memorial, unveiled in 1920 and altered following the Second World War.
Description
A First World War memorial, unveiled in 1920 and altered following the Second World War.
MATERIALS: the memorial is made of granite quarried within Sheepstor parish with slate panels.
PLAN: the memorial stands in the churchyard at St Leonard's Church, a short distance from the Andrew headstone and the Brooke monuments.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a rough-hewn plain Latin cross on a tapering square plinth with a two-stepped square base. It is carved from pale grey granite.
The main inscription is in incised lettering on a recessed slate panel on the eastern face of the plinth, and reads:
IN/ GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/ (NAMES)/ OF THIS PARISH/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR KING AND/ COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-19/ GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS THAT/ A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS/ ST JOHN 15 V. 13
A further inscription in incised letter on a recessed slate panel on the western face of the plinth reads:
1939 - 1945/ (NAMES)/ OF THIS PARISH.
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 Sheepstor 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 unveiled on Wednesday 29 September 1920 by Lady Albertha Lopes and dedicated by the Archdeacon of Plymouth. It was paid for by public subscription. The granite from which the cross and base are made was quarried in Sheepstor and was given by Mrs John Bayly, and the steps were given by Miss Bayly of Yelverton.
The names of two parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Sheepstor War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* it is a dignified and sombre stone cross, neatly made and well-proportioned.
Historic interest:
* as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact on the local community of the events of the First World War.
Group value:
* it has good group value with other nearby listed buildings, including the Grade I-listed church and the Grade II-listed Lych Gate.
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
London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability