Summary
War memorial cross, 1924.
Description
War memorial cross, 1924.
MATERIALS: the memorial is constructed from roughly-hewn Dartmoor grey granite.
PLAN: it stands on a fork on the road running north-south between Chittlehamholt and Warkleigh.
DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises a plain, tapering Latin cross standing on a small, square plinth. The main inscription is in raised lettering on a polished panel at the base of the cross shaft. It reads: ‘IN PROUD MEMORY / OF THE MEN / OF WARKLEIGH / WHO GAVE / THEIR LIVES / IN THE / GREAT WAR / IN THE CAUSE / OF JUSTICE / AND FREEDOM / 1914–1919’. The names of the eight First World War fallen are listed in two columns of raised lettering on the front of the plinth, beneath which is the additional inscription ‘1939–1945’, followed by two names.
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 the official policy of not repatriating the dead; memorials, therefore, provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss.
One such memorial was raised at Warkleigh as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the eight members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War. A newspaper article attributes the erection of the memorial to the untiring efforts of the local Rector, W Vincent Jephson, MA, and notes an impressive unveiling, on 31 August 1924.
The names of the two parishioners who fell during the Second World War were subsequently added to the memorial.
Reasons for Listing
Warkleigh War Memorial, 1924, 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.
Architectural interest:
* a simple but striking memorial, well-executed in durable granite.
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
Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
England's Post-War Listed Buildings
Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)